Hollie Michaels

Hollie Michaels

I am originally from South Florida and have lived/worked in theater, film, and TV in Chicago, L.A., London, and NYC. Currently, I'm writing and teaching theater in CT. I write plays for young people, old people and for those in-between.
My one-act play Children of Hooverville is published by Youthplays and is currently being performed by amazing young actors all over the country.
My other...
I am originally from South Florida and have lived/worked in theater, film, and TV in Chicago, L.A., London, and NYC. Currently, I'm writing and teaching theater in CT. I write plays for young people, old people and for those in-between.
My one-act play Children of Hooverville is published by Youthplays and is currently being performed by amazing young actors all over the country.
My other works are under my maiden name Hollie Rosenberg. Scraps, a full-length play has had a reading at Urban Stages (Off B'way) and a workshop at City University of London. Spoiled Cherries has had a production at the Manhattan Repertory Theater, and Narrows Community Theater. 10 Going On 30 had a production at Adaptive Arts, Dirty Laundry On The Crazy Girl's Line has had a production Riant Theater's Strawberry One-Act Festival (as a Semi-Finalist), Bedpan Palace had a production at The Brooklyn Heights Players. My one-act play Dirty Laundry On The Crazy Girl’s Line is published in Best of The Strawberry One-Act Festival Vol. 4.

As a Director, I have had productions at The Producers Club, The Brooklyn Lyceum, TSI/PlayTime Series, Brooklyn One, Hudson Shakespeare Company of NJ, Manhattan Repertory Theater Company, The Heights Players Theater, and The Public Theater as part of a night of US / UK exchange Cabaret produced by Old Vic New Voices Network.
I am a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, The Old Vic New Voices New York Network, AATE, and SCBWI. I have an M.A. in Creative Writing (Plays) from City University of London, M.S. ED in Educational Theatre from City College of New York and a B.A. in Film Production (Screenwriting) from Columbia College Chicago.

Plays

  • Our Lady of Sorrows School for Troubled Girls by Hollie Michaels
    Cast: 
    10–11
    ·
    Genre: drama, period + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: boarding school, 1980's + 2 more
    Genre: drama, period, political, tragedy
    Keyword: boarding school, 1980's, abuse, feminism
    Synopsis: In 1989 an all-girls boarding school suffered two tragedies. At the center, of those tragedies were The Boys. Twenty years later, during a TV interview, alumni from the school revisit those memories bringing the past to life. *ALL FEMALE Cast: 10* 90 min

    Our Lady of Sorrows School for Troubled Girls was going to have a workshop production this Spring ( 2020) at RCA. But because...
    Synopsis: In 1989 an all-girls boarding school suffered two tragedies. At the center, of those tragedies were The Boys. Twenty years later, during a TV interview, alumni from the school revisit those memories bringing the past to life. *ALL FEMALE Cast: 10* 90 min

    Our Lady of Sorrows School for Troubled Girls was going to have a workshop production this Spring ( 2020) at RCA. But because of the pandemic, it was canceled. The play was created out of devised character work and had made it through the rehearsal process.

  • Children Of Hooverville by Hollie Michaels
    Cast: 
    13–20
    ·
    Genre: adventure, docudrama/historic + 6 more
    ·
    Keyword: migrant children, Dust Bowl + 2 more
    Genre: adventure, docudrama/historic, drama, movement/physical, period, political, tragedy, young audiences
    Keyword: migrant children, Dust Bowl, History, ensemble
    After 13-year-old Elsie Davis loses her family farm to the bank and her brother to the dust storms, she joins family and friends on a forced journey along Route 66 in search of a better life in California. Together they must survive unimaginable hardships and overcome theft, illness and unsympathetic authorities. But when at last they arrive in the Golden State, it may not be the promised land they had hoped...
    After 13-year-old Elsie Davis loses her family farm to the bank and her brother to the dust storms, she joins family and friends on a forced journey along Route 66 in search of a better life in California. Together they must survive unimaginable hardships and overcome theft, illness and unsympathetic authorities. But when at last they arrive in the Golden State, it may not be the promised land they had hoped for... 45-55 minutes. 3 males, 10 females (with opportunity to add up to 7 additional non-speaking roles; 13-20 performers possible). Ideal for middle schools, high schools, youth theatres, universities, and community theatres. Published and performances licensed by YouthPLAYS (www.youthplays.com), publisher of plays for young actors and audiences.
  • Scraps by Hollie Michaels
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: docudrama/historic, drama + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: Jewish, feminist + 7 more
    Genre: docudrama/historic, drama, melodrama, period, political
    Keyword: Jewish, feminist, LGBTQ, History, Anti-Semitism, Family Business, Israel, 1940s, American Dream
    Historical Drama / Full Length / Characters: 2W / 4M
    In 1948 three adult Jewish siblings have just inherited their father’s failing junkyard. Having faced religious persecution in Ideal Town Georgia, the Siegel family is torn apart when they are only given a day to either sign the land over to a racist business owner or fight to keep it. Lucille, who has spent her life working on the yard with their...
    Historical Drama / Full Length / Characters: 2W / 4M
    In 1948 three adult Jewish siblings have just inherited their father’s failing junkyard. Having faced religious persecution in Ideal Town Georgia, the Siegel family is torn apart when they are only given a day to either sign the land over to a racist business owner or fight to keep it. Lucille, who has spent her life working on the yard with their father, does not want to let it go. However, Simon, the oldest brother, doesn’t have the same attachment to the family business and wants the yard out of their lives so they can make a new start in Israel. Caught between his brother and sister Herman isn’t sure who to side with, especially when his lover begins to push him in another direction. (Scraps had a reading at Urban Stages, NYC and a reading at City University of London)
  • Bed Pan Palace by Hollie Michaels
    Cast: 
    10
    ·
    Genre: comedy, farce
    ·
    Keyword: ensemble, Assisted Living + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, farce
    Keyword: ensemble, Assisted Living, comedy, elderly, elder care, family
    Bedpan Palace
    Ensemble Comedy / Full Length
    Bedpan Palace is an Ensemble Comedy that follows Rose, an elderly woman, who has
    been forced into an assisted living facility against her will. While continually plotting her escape, she befriends the other residents, starting a new chapter in what society normally deems the end of life. (It was first produced at the Brooklyn heights Player Theater, NY)
  • Stranger Danger by Hollie Michaels
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: growing up, siblings + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, satire, tragedy
    Keyword: growing up, siblings, strangers, dysfunctional family
    Stranger Danger is the story Edward and his sister Baby Boo, who have been kept in their house all of their lives by their overly religious and protective mother. Today however, there is a stranger at the door and Mama isn't waking up.
  • No Fear by Hollie Michaels
    Cast: 
    7–32
    ·
    Genre: fable/folktale, fantasy + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: Grimm's Fairytale, The Boy Who Couldn't Feel Fear + 3 more
    Genre: fable/folktale, fantasy, young audiences
    Keyword: Grimm's Fairytale, The Boy Who Couldn't Feel Fear, hero's journey, puppets, ensemble
    In a camp cabin several campers refuse to go to sleep. Wick, their counselor, tells them a tale that mashes several Grimm’s Fairy together. The story unfolds in their cabin as Wick tells the story of Abay, a young boy (or girl) whose one wish is to feel fear.
    Abay is ostracized from the other kids in the village because he is different. But when another boy is taken by a Dwarf (from Snow White’s tale)...
    In a camp cabin several campers refuse to go to sleep. Wick, their counselor, tells them a tale that mashes several Grimm’s Fairy together. The story unfolds in their cabin as Wick tells the story of Abay, a young boy (or girl) whose one wish is to feel fear.
    Abay is ostracized from the other kids in the village because he is different. But when another boy is taken by a Dwarf (from Snow White’s tale) Abay is the only one who can save him. Impressed by the Abays lack of fear, the dwarf agrees to set his friend free if Abay completes a mission.
    The Dwarf sends Abay on a hero’s journey through mountains and forest to find the Wicked Queen who cast the spell on the dwarf’s friend (Snow White). Abay must cast a truth spell on the Queen to discover how to break the curse of the maiden who sleeps forever. Abay goes on this journey and along the way he meets a new friend, Falada the talking horse. Together they travel in and out of other famous tales such as Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Rumplestiltskin and many more to find the Wicked Queen.
    (This play had a production at camp Skylemar in 2011)
  • Dirty Laundry On The Crazy Girls Line by Hollie Michaels
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy
    ·
    Keyword: life in nyc
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy
    Keyword: life in nyc
    Comedy / One Act / Characters: 2M / 2W
    Crazy Girl explores her current predicament of being emotionally unbalanced and
    single. (Published in The Best Plays From The Strawberry One-Act Festival:
    Vol. 4)
  • Sleep Training by Hollie Michaels
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: new parents, millennials + 5 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: new parents, millennials, sleep training, parenthood, world issues, modern world, current events
    Sleep deprived, new parents, Mandy and Rick, worry about the world they just brought their daughter into while they sleep train her.
  • 10 Going on 40 by Hollie Michaels
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: parenthood
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: parenthood
    Parents argue over their daughter being allowed to go to her first sleep over.