Online Submissions

American Stage is seeking submissions for local actors (within Tampa Bay 50 mile radius) for the monthly play reading series FIRST MONDAYS in partnership with Creative Pinellas.

READING BREAKDOWN
November - 50:13 by Mansa Ra
Dae Brown, an incarcerated Black man sits, with three days left of his sentence. During Brown’s final days in prison he tries to impart his wisdom onto a teen inmate serving an adult sentence.

DAE BROWN - male identifying around 25 years old. Black/African American. Actor will voice four other characters.

December - Student Written… by Pinellas County School Students
Enjoy a collection of short plays written by Pinellas County students, as a part of American Stage’s WRITE ON! Pinellas Playwriting Program.

Casting an ensemble of 5 actors to read a variety of roles

January - Three Seconds Left by John Mabey
We celebrate New Year’s Day by offering resolutions for a better self. But what happens to
those unresolved-resolutions on the last day of the year, with only 3 seconds left? One brave woman demands an answer from Father Time, both getting much more than they ever
Expected.

BONNIE - any age, any ethnicity. Female identifying.

FATHER TIME - any age, any ethnicity. Male identifying.

CUPID - any age, any ethnicity.

February - Black Voices by Alexandria Crawford and Patrick Arthur Jackson
The voices of African American icons share their hope for the future and the lessons they learned along the way.

KATHERINE JOHNSON - an African American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. Female identifying.

CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS - an African American politician and civil rights activist who served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia's 5th congressional district beginning in 1987. Male identifying.

MAYA ANGELOU - An African American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. Female identifying.

JAMES BALDWIN - an African American writer. He garnered acclaim across various mediums, including essays, novels, plays, and poems raising awareness of racial and sexual oppression. Male identifying.

ARETHA FRANKLIN - an African American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the "Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With global sales of over 75 million records, Franklin is one of the world's best-selling music artists. Female identifying.

HENRIETTA LACKS - an African American woman whose cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized human cell line and one of the most important cell lines in medical research. Female identifying.

March - NOW by Vincent Terell Durham
A NOW organizer arrives at a home in 1973 Massapequa, Long Island with an invitation to liberate the long-suffering housewife inside. She mistakes the Black housekeeper as the lady of the house.

GLADYS - Black-American, 24 to 26 years old, housekeeper. She is a no nonsense,
hardworking, wife, and mother of two. Female identifying.

BARBARA ELLIOTT - White-American, 24 to 26 years old, unmarried, bubbly, peppy, and
eager. She is a NOW organizer and unaware that her station in life doesn't differ much from the
Long Island housewives she seeks to liberate. Female identifying.

MRS. SAUNDERS - White-American, 24 to 26 years old, housewife. She leads a life of leisure
but acts as though she is constantly put-upon by her husband and two children. Female identifying.

April - Organic by Jenna Jane
In a future where everyone is enhancing their bodies with the latest tech, 81-year-old Donna Goldman is an anomaly – she’s 100 percent organic. But now, there’s a problem: She’s dying. And a bionic body part is the only cure. Will cyborg Dr. Flores persuade her to abandon her sense of self to survive? This 20-minute sci-fi drama for two actors explores the relationship between the body and the self.

DONNA GOLDMAN - 60-70s. All natural in a world of cyborgs. Sentimental, reflective, stubborn. Would rather suffer than be someone she’s not. Female identifying.

DR. FLORES - 20s-30s. A cyborg, like everyone else in this society. A physician. Is actually in their 80’s but appears much younger. Practical, logical, progressive. A touch vain. Focused on the future. Any gender.

May - if all that You take from this is courage, then i’ve no regrets by Nicholas Pilapil
After a brush with danger, a strong-willed matriarch reminisces with her grandson on all the things their histories have taught them. This play explores Filipino American identity, intergenerational disconnect, and weighing your wars to make sure you're not fighting for nothing.

LYDIA - 60’s/70’s - Strong willed and feisty. Not a stereotypical frail old lady kind of grandmother. Fluent in English despite her Filipino accent. Female identifying. Actor must be comfortable speaking/reading Tagalog. Actor must be Filipino.

ALEX - 20’s/30 - Lydia’s grandson. Giselle’s son. Whether or not it’s true, he’s one of those people that says “my grandma is my best friend” Male identifying. Actor must be comfortable speaking/reading Tagalog. Actor must be Filipino.

GISELLE - 50’s - Alex’s mom. Lydia’s daughter. Also plays News Reporter and Stage Directions. Actor must be Filipino.

June - The Disney Princess of Dot Ave by Kevin Cirone
A costumed princess at the end of her shift at a children's birthday party is interrupted by the birthday girl.

MAYA - 20s-30s - a Disney princess persona that masks a down-to-earth, Dorchester broad. Female identifying.

HALEY - 8 - The birthday girl, an inquisitive, introspective sort. Role will be played by an adult actor. Non binary.

July - Validation by Daphne Macy
Gracie has been absent from work for an entire week, since returning from a work trip. Her boss, Sheryl, thinks she knows why. Can a c-suite exec who didn’t grow up in the era of #MeToo and an introverted Millennial have an open, unapologetic conversation about appropriate workplace behavior?

SHERYL - 47 - A c-suite executive who has been surrounded by men her whole professional life and has worked hard to rise to the top. Confident, intelligent, authoritative, seemingly strict. Female identifying.

GRACIE - 29 - An early career manager working in Sheryl's office. Introverted, apologetic, non-confrontational. Female identifying.

MARTY - 37 - A manager at Sheryl's office. Overly confident, argumentative, the ultimate mansplainer. We only hear his voice and do not see him on stage.

August - Destiny is a Careless Waiter by Julie Zaffarano
Sean invites Emily to dinner to propose marriage. He brings his grandmother’s engagement ring to the restaurant and instructs the server to place the ring in Emily’s dessert. Justin invites Bria to the same restaurant at the same time, planning to break up with her. When the engagement ring intended for Emily ends up in Bria’s dessert, the chaos begins.

BRIA - Female identifying, 25-35. Any ethnicity.
EMILY - Female identifying, 25-35. Any ethnicity.
SEAN - Male identifying, 25-35. Any ethnicity.
JUSTIN - Male identifying, 25-35. Any ethnicity.