Colossal

A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Colossal

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  15m

Andrew Hinderaker

"[Colossalis] a play finding through the laws of physics a thrilling way to tell a story of exquisite pain." - The Washington Post

Image: 2016 San Francisco Playhouse Production (Jessica Palopoli)

Colossal

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    15m
  • Duration
    Duration
    75 Minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Not Applicable
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

Performed in four fifteen-minute quarters with a half-time show, featuring a dance company, a drum corps, and a fully-padded cast, Colossal is an epic event that simultaneously celebrates and attacks our nation's most popular form of theatre: football.

A star football player – a pro prospect, one of the most graceful runners in the world, and a man in love with a teammate – struggles to move forward in the wake of a catastrophic spinal cord injury. With full-contact choreography, this play about love, ability, and extraordinary feats of strength tackles definitions of masculinity and the male body as vehicles for language, violence, and silent expression through dance, football, and disability.

History

Colossal premiered at the Olney Theater in Olney, MD in September 2014 under the direction of Will Davis.

Keywords
Performing Groups
MIKE - 22. Approximately ten months removed from a catastrophic football injury that’s left him in a wheelchair. (*this role must be played by an artist with disability) 
YOUNG MIKE - 16-21, at various moments in the play. A dancer, a football player, and an extraordinary physical specimen.  
JERRY - 30s/40s. Responsible for Mike’s rehab. A specialist in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychology. 
DAMON - 40s/50s. Mike’s father. Runs a modern dance company, and still an extraordinary mover, though past his prime. 
MARCUS - 21 Young Mike’s closest teammate and co-captain of the University of Texas football team. 
COACH - 40s/50s. Head Coach of UT’s football team. Cares deeply about his players and believes deeply in the game of football. 
PLAYERS - Early 20s. This is our ensemble. At times, they represent Young Mike’s teammates at UT; at times his opponents; at times his teammates in high school. There should be at least six players, though ideally the number would be nine. 
DAMON SHAW DANCE COMPANY - A modern dance company. 
DRUMLINE - 3-5 players

*If casting a dance company is not a viable option, the players can double as dancers, or Young Mike & Damon can perform the halftime show as a duet. Similarly, a single percussionist/recorded drumline can work. But if you have the means for a drumline... trust me, it’s worth it. 

  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Setting A football field, a locker room, other locations.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features No Intermission, Stage Combat
  • Duration 75 Minutes
  • Cautions
    • Strong Language
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

REVIEWS

"The sinuousness of the dance and the pounding of the drums invoke the two sides of football: the seductive fluidity of motion and the cost of those explosive collisions under the bright lights. Although the play obviously confronts some current issues, that yin-yang is at the center of this highly entertaining show." - The Boston Globe, Read More 

"It truly is colossal, smartly presenting a subject that is epic in scope and setting - a college football field in Texas - and enhancing it with little moments that speak of various kinds of relationships between men: fathers and sons, teammates, mentors, and lovers." - Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Read More 

"[Colossal is] a play finding through the laws of physics a thrilling way to tell a story of exquisite pain." - The Washington Post, Read More 

"Hinderaker has crafted a highly schematic drama marinated in testosterone." - Star Tribune, Read More 

RELATED ARTICLES ON BREAKING CHARACTER 

Colossal: A Playwright and an Actor Toss the Ball Back and Forth
by Ben Coleman
October 5, 2017


Videos

  • Scene from Colossal at Olney Theatre Center youtube thumbnail

    Scene from Colossal at Olney Theatre Center

  • San Francisco Playhouse trailer for Colossal youtube thumbnail

    San Francisco Playhouse trailer for Colossal

  • Interview with Will Davis, director of Colossal at Olney Theatre Center youtube thumbnail

    Interview with Will Davis, director of Colossal at Olney Theatre Center

Photos

  • Colossal

    Image: 2016 San Francisco Playhouse Production (Jessica Palopoli)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:
Get the Script

Authors

Andrew Hinderaker

Andrew Hinderaker

Andrew Hinderaker is a Resident Playwright of Chicago Dramatists, an ensemble member of the Gift Theatre in Chicago, and a three-time Jeff Award Nominee. His plays include I Am Going To Change The World, Dirty, Kingsville and Suicide, Incorporated, which premiered at the Gift ...

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