Ruth Cantrell

Ruth Cantrell

Ruth Cantrell is an award-winning playwright. ("Stall Tactics" was awarded best play: Bishop Arts Theatre Center's 3rd Annual PlayPride LGBT Festival,“Back Home” was awarded best play: Rio Grande Play Festival and “The Stonecutter/El Cantero” was awarded Children’s New Script Award by the Southwest Theater Conference.) Her plays have been produced at the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe Festival,...
Ruth Cantrell is an award-winning playwright. ("Stall Tactics" was awarded best play: Bishop Arts Theatre Center's 3rd Annual PlayPride LGBT Festival,“Back Home” was awarded best play: Rio Grande Play Festival and “The Stonecutter/El Cantero” was awarded Children’s New Script Award by the Southwest Theater Conference.) Her plays have been produced at the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe Festival, American Southwest Theatre Company, the Dallas Theatre Center, Bishop Arts Theater Center, the Nashville Academy Theatre, the Creede Repertory Theatre, and universities around the country. “Remnants of a Dream” was one of three plays selected for the first annual Texas Playwriting Festival to be presented at Wordsmyth Theater Company in Houston in July 2015. Her children’s plays are published by YouthPLAYS. https://www.youthplays.com/
They include: “The Butterfly; Legends from the Middle Kingdom, ”https://www.youthplays.com/play/the-butterfly-legends-from-the-middle-kingdom-by-ruth-cantrell-159.
“Puss N.Boots,”
https://www.youthplays.com/play/puss-n.-boots-by-ruth-cantrell-174
“The Snow Queen"
https://www.youthplays.com/play/the-snow-queen-by-ruth-cantrell-176 and
“The Treasures of El Mundo”
https://www.youthplays.com/play/the-treasures-of-el-mundo-by-ruth-cantrell-316
In 2010, Ruth was selected to participate in the Kennedy Center’s Playwriting Intensive. Ruth is Emerita Professor of Theatre at New Mexico State University. In 2002, she received the state of New Mexico’s highest arts award, the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. She is a member of Dramatists Guild of America and Actor’s Equity Association. She currently lives in Dallas, Texas.

Plays

  • PORTRAITS by Ruth Cantrell and Camika Spencer by Ruth Cantrell
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: racism
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: racism
    Nina Clark (African American) and her artistic son, Dennis, move into the Buena Vista neighborhood. Their Caucasian neighbors, Lou and Virgil Parker initially welcome them. Over the years, despite Virgil’s friendship and interest in Dennis’ artistic talents, Lou’s racial prejudice impacts all their lives with devastating results.
  • CASSANDRA: an ongoing tragedy by Ruth Cantrell
    Cast: 
    8–23
    ·
    Genre: drama, political + 1 more
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    Keyword: women's rights, refugee + 2 more
    Genre: drama, political, tragedy
    Keyword: women's rights, refugee, civil rights, Holocaust
    Crossing through eras and locales, Cassandra, the prophet from ancient Troy, interweaves Greek myths with modern stories of the atrocities of war, the slaughter of children, the plight of refugees, and the oppression of women.
  • REMNANTS OF A DREAM by Ruth Cantrell
    Cast: 
    8–24
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: immigration, magical realism
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, political, satire
    Keyword: immigration, magical realism
    Calavera, a prominent figure in Dia de los Muertos, follows along the U.S./Mexico border to find remnants of dreams of those trying to cross to El Norte. Along the way, Miguel, a would-be immigrant, makes several attempts to cross. His dramatic story, as well as others from both sides of the U.S./Mexican border, is presented through narration, song and dance, blending imagery, pathos and humor in the style of magical realism.
  • SUCH STUFF by Ruth Cantrell
    Cast: 
    8
    ·
    Genre: comedy, farce
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    Keyword: Play within a play
    Genre: comedy, farce
    Keyword: Play within a play
    Corporate funds from two rival cola companies provide much needed financial support for the Shakespearean Players’ production of “Romeo and Juliet.” Each cola company demands an “exclusive sponsorship clause,” which the Player’s ignore. When a representative from each company shows up at the same performance, by recasting, redressing, redirecting and other such stuff, the day is saved and the Shakespearean...
    Corporate funds from two rival cola companies provide much needed financial support for the Shakespearean Players’ production of “Romeo and Juliet.” Each cola company demands an “exclusive sponsorship clause,” which the Player’s ignore. When a representative from each company shows up at the same performance, by recasting, redressing, redirecting and other such stuff, the day is saved and the Shakespearean Players look forward to mounting their next project.
  • MOTHER'S GOOSE IS COOKED …………...AND OTHER NURSING RHYMES FROM THE OLDSHUE RETIREMENT HOME by Ruth Cantrell
    Cast: 
    2–6
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: aging, Nursery Rhymes + 2 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, satire
    Keyword: aging, Nursery Rhymes, episodic, puppets
    Set in a nursing home, where like children playing dress up, Mother Goose and her assistant portray various staff members and relatives, who interweave rhymes and games from childhood with four residents (Dottie Underhill, Jackie Sprat, Flo Jacobs, and Jo Peep). Over the course of several days, the monotony of routines, the bonds of old and new friendships, and the impending death of one of their own, forces...
    Set in a nursing home, where like children playing dress up, Mother Goose and her assistant portray various staff members and relatives, who interweave rhymes and games from childhood with four residents (Dottie Underhill, Jackie Sprat, Flo Jacobs, and Jo Peep). Over the course of several days, the monotony of routines, the bonds of old and new friendships, and the impending death of one of their own, forces the residents to reflect on their pasts, while coping with their limited futures. Mother’s Goose is cooked ….. and other Nursing Rhymes from the Oldshue Retirement Home is a comedy-drama episodic in structure, with heightened language and absurdist style.
  • COME TO YOUR SENSES by Ruth Cantrell
    Cast: 
    7–28
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ, love, marriage
    A professor’s unconventional lecture on the senses includes dramatic and comic scenes and monologues about: life, loss and love.
  • THE DOG DAZE OF SUMMER by Ruth Cantrell
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: attempted suicide, domestic violence + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: attempted suicide, domestic violence, dogs
    Grieving and unable to cope with the loss of her beloved dog puts Summer at a crossroads. Will she detach or reconnect? A dramedy of Summer's journey of loss, reflection, discovery, and hope that pays homage to the unbreakable bonds between dogs and people.
  • A THING OF BEAUTY (formerly entitled: THE HANDS SHAPE by Ruth Cantrell
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: breast cancer, multi-generational
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: breast cancer, multi-generational
    Jennifer, an art historian, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her late mother, Pat, had a similar diagnosis with devastating results on their relationship. Not wanting to repeat those mistakes, Jennifer uses unorthodox methods to reach out to her own daughter, Meghan, forcing them to reassess what is “a thing of beauty.”
  • STALL TACTICS by Ruth Cantrell
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: LGBTQ
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: LGBTQ
    MATTIE LOU holds a protest outside a department store’s gender-neutral restrooms. When an old high school acquaintance, BEV, has need of the facilities, sparks fly as each confronts the other’s “stall tactics” in this dramedy.
  • IT WAS A TUESDAY (formerly: A TOKEN OF LOVE by Ruth Cantrell
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: 9/11
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: 9/11
    Four New Yorkers lives are forever changed on that fateful Tuesday, September 11th. David’s lover died in the Twin Towers, Salimah’s patriotism is questioned, Clarice’s special needs child is born and Molly, the child of a NYC fireman, awaits her father’s return.
  • BACK AT THE HOUSE by Ruth Cantrell
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: multi-generational
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: multi-generational
    The Benton family reunion doesn’t include its matriarch, Mae, who is confined to her room at the senior center. Her granddaughter, Katy, takes matters into her own hands, returning with Mae to the old family home with devastating results.