Merry Me

A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Merry Me

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  4w, 2m, 1any gender (adult)

Merry Me is an intoxicating queer cocktail of restoration comedy and the Greeks, served with a heavy garnish of ridiculous.

Image: 2023 New York Theatre Workshop Production (Joan Marcus)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 2m, 1any gender (adult)
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

On an island not far away from the vulnerable coasts of the enemy state, a mysterious blackout has left the Navy restless and itching for action. Lieutenant Shane Horne has occupied her time satisfying the libidinous needs of all the women on the base – including the jealous general’s wife. But her own merries will not… come. Meanwhile, a famed Angel re-descends to amend her previous prophesy, sending the Navy’s psychiatrist on an epic quest to save humanity. Will the general discover the affair? Will the earth be saved? Will they ever be merry enough?

Merry Me is an intoxicating queer cocktail of restoration comedy and the Greeks, served with a heavy garnish of ridiculous.

History
Merry Me premiered off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop on 11 October 2023. Directed by Leigh Silverman, the production featured Marinda Anderson, Cindy Cheung, Esco Jouléy, David Ryan Smith, Ryan Spahn, Nicole Villamil and Shaunette Renée Wilson.

LT. SHANE HORNE – God’s gift to lady parts of all shapes, colors and vintages.
DR. JESS O’NOPE – An unwilling prophet.
MRS. SAPH MEMNON – An unwilling wife.
PVT. WILLY MEMNON – A very woke male partner to Sapph.
GEN. MEMNON – A war-starved General.
GENERAL’S WIFE – A sex-starved wife.
THE ANGEL – From Tony Kushner’s Angels in America.

SOLDIERS, ANGELS, etc.

Note: All roles can be played by actors of any race or ethnicity. The author encourages all productions to prioritize diversity and inclusion in casting.

All roles can be played by actors of any race or ethnicity. The
author encourages all productions to prioritize diversity and inclusion
in
casting.

  • Time Period Contemporary, Greek/Roman/Biblical
  • Setting A naval basecamp. A crisp spring day in the year of an ongoing war.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Additional Features No Intermission
  • Duration 90 minutes
  • Cautions
    • Strong Language
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

Critic’s Pick! “Refreshingly playful… [a] delightfully loopy sex comedy.” – The New York Times

“A must-see! Madcap, zany and raunchy.” – DC Theater Arts

“A ribald comic paean to lust… The laughs… come nearly non-stop, with help from madcap performances, silly props and loads upon loads of sex… Despite all these blasts from the past – the works of Shakespeare and Virginia Woolf also make appearances – Merry Me lives very much in the present.” – TimeOut New York

“A saucy, silly good time.” – Vulture

“Joyous… an entertaining, energizing and unmissable queer comedy… a blend of physical comedy, dry observational humor, and inside jokes about queer theatre… Jung remains the master of wordplay, delighting with dialogue jam-packed with references and jokes; as fun as it is to watch Merry Me, it will be even better to read the script when published.” – New York Theatre Guide

Critic’s Pick! “Refreshingly playful… [a] delightfully loopy sex comedy… It’s a ridiculous, convoluted plot… but there is a gleeful, almost punchy abandon to this play’s dedication to queer female pleasure, embrace of bawdy fun and relish of theatrical in-jokes. With shout-outs to Virginia Woolf, Samuel Beckett and Thornton Wilder, Merry Me pilfers successfully from Shakespeare… and from Tony Kushner’s Angels in America.” – The New York Times

“It’s steamy, it’s ridiculous, and everyone (except the patriarchy) ultimately gets a happy ending.” – Exeunt

Videos

  • Merry Me – New York Theatre Workshop Trailer youtube thumbnail

    Merry Me – New York Theatre Workshop Trailer

Photos

  • Merry Me

    Image: 2023 New York Theatre Workshop Production (Joan Marcus)

Licensing & Materials

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

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Authors

Hansol Jung

Hansol Jung (playwright) Productions: Wolf Play (Artists Rep, Soho Rep), Wild Goose Dreams (Public Theater, La Jolla Playhouse), Cardboard Piano (Humana Festival), Among the Dead (Ma-Yi) and No More Sad Things (Sideshow, Boise Contemporary). Commissions: Public Theater (NY), ...

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