A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Birthday Club

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  5w

Phil Olson

Five women get together for their birthdays, each with her own story, to drink, celebrate, commiserate and support each other as they negotiate through marriage, work, divorce, birth and kids, while solving the problems of the world.

Birthday Club

Request licence
Get the Script
  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    5w
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

Five women get together for their birthdays, each with her own story, to drink, celebrate, commiserate and support each other as they negotiate through marriage, work, divorce, birth and kids, while solving the problems of the world.

Cheryl, Karen, Monica and Abbie started Birthday Club five years ago when their friend Jennifer was diagnosed with cancer, as a support group to help her get through it. When Jennifer recently passed away, they had an opening for a new member. However, it’s not easy to join Birthday Club. Birthday Club is very exclusive, and there’s a three-year waiting list. They bring in Sarah as a potential member, but first Sarah must make it through the “interview,” and agree to abide by the eight rules of Birthday Club, to be considered an official member.

One by one, they reveal their personal, work and family issues, and when one of them admits she went out with another’s husband, the vodka hits the fan. The question is: Will Birthday Club survive, or will Rule #5 end it forever?

History
Birthday Club was first produced in Central Virginia by Persimmon Tree Players and Victory Hall Players, in association with Scottsville's Center for the Arts and the Natural Environment, with virtual performances in March 2021. Birthday Club was subsequently produced by the Mighty Richland Players Dessert Theater in Orangeville, Illinois in April 2021.
Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups

Cheryl – 50. Married, successful business owner, anal retentive, control issues. Marriage is strained. Stay-at-home husband.
Emily – 40's. High school teacher. Divorced twice. Prolific Tinder dater. Has had lots of "work done."
Abbie – 30's. Married. Stay-at-home wife. Easy life. Nice big house, pool, boat.
Kathy – 40. Works in "law enforcement." Married, 4 kids. Very tough.
Sarah – 20's. Works for Cheryl. Member of the very strict "Heemish" religion. Wholesome, innocent, naïve regarding all worldly things.

  • Time Period Present Day
  • Setting Cheryl's living room. Present Day.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“It’s good to know that laughter is still alive and well on the stage.” – Navarro County Gazette

“Any chance to see a group of women on stage together and I’ll take it! The highly prolific writer Phil Olson’s latest play, Birthday Club at The Group Rep, is hilarious, poignant and heartwarming… the women all have their own stories to tell, and they intersect, overlap and crash head on into each other with delightful abandon… It’s so wonderful to sit in a theatre and watch something this funny, especially after so many long months of live theatre nothingness… Birthday Club is a perfect respite from our crazy world right now. Women being welcoming, warm, honest, fragile, warrior strong, totally authentic and absolutely hilarious!” – Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros, NOHOArtsdistrict.com

“Birthday Club is more than a play, it’s a party, and everyone is invited to join the fun. Because when the material is this hilarious and the cast this exceptional, I guarantee you will have a great time at Birthday Club. Cheers!” – Sarah Hovis, Rochester Media

“The audience at a recent matinee performance included what looked like many groups of women, seated together and all having a great time. If you’re looking for laughs and raunchy fun, join the Birthday Club and bring some friends!” – Suzanne Angeo, Rochester Patch

“It is a delight to work with such a wonderful cast! We have been laughing since auditions!… Laugh therapy is just what is needed for our community right now!” – Sue Hennessy, Artistic Director, Grand Marais Playhouse

“Even though Birthday Club is a primarily comedy-driven piece, the script allowed time for all the actresses to have an emotional beat… The absurdity of the situations kept the laughs regular, with a handful of adult jokes thrown about… it’s good to know that laughter is still alive and well on the stage.” – Guy Chapman, Navarro County Gazette

“As a member of the Birthday Club that playwright Phil Olson based this play after, I have to say that Phil captured the hilarious essence, with some creative license to protect the innocent, of our real-life birthday club. As our ‘designated driver,’ Phil witnessed our shenanigans firsthand. Having seen multiple productions of the play, the audience loves it, it’s hilarious and it’s a must-see. But please don’t judge me. After all, it’s Birthday Club, and anything goes!” – Nancy Howland, Birthday Club member

“I'm so happy, thrilled and honored to be part of a real-life story with my closest Birthday Club friends, sharing what women's lives are all about. This play is hilarious, heartwarming and based on true events. Thank you, Phil Olson, for sharing what women endure in real life!!” – Cheryl Coullahan, Birthday Club member

AWARDS

Birthday Club was a FINALIST in seven playwriting competitions, including the Austin Film Festival Stage Play Competition, the Writer’s Digest Stage Play Competition, the ScreenCraft Stage Play Competition, the Mixing It Up Productions Playwright’s Contest, The Robert J. Pickering Award for Playwriting Excellence and the Santa Barbara Playfest, and a WINNER in the TRU Play Reading Festival. The play had 26 Zoom readings in theatres around the U.S. and Canada from March 2020 to August 2021.

Licensing & Materials

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

Scripts

Available Formats:
Get the Script

Authors

Phil Olson

Phil Olson

Phil Olson grew up in Edina, Minnesota, home of the first indoor mall. His father’s grandparents came over from Norway and homesteaded a farm north of Fargo, North Dakota. His mother’s grandparents also came over from Norway and ended up in Virginia, Minnesota; the iron range ...

View full profile

Now Playing