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The Amish Project (Ensemble)

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  4w, 3m

Now available for an ensemble cast, The Amish Project is a fictional exploration of the Nickel Mines schoolhouse shooting in an Amish community and the path of forgiveness and compassion forged in its wake.

The Amish Project (Ensemble)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    75 Minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Docudrama/History
  • Suggested Use
    • Cutting Approved for Competition
    • Monologues
    • Competition or Audition Material
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Pre-Teen (Age 11-13), Teen (Age 14-18)
Also Available

Details

Summary

The Amish Project is a fictional exploration of the Nickel Mines schoolhouse shooting in an Amish community and the path of forgiveness and compassion forged in its wake. Originally a solo show, The Amish Project has now been adapted for an ensemble cast.

Click here for original, one-woman version.

History
The original version of The Amish Project, a play for one actor, was first produced at the New York International Fringe Festival on August 8, 2008 in the Players Loft.

ANNA – Amish girl, age 14. Victim of the shooting.
CAROL STUCKEY – Widow of the gunman, age 31. English/non-Amish.
VELDA – Amish girl, age 6. Sister of Anna. Victim of the shooting.
BILL NORTH – English/non-Amish man, 50s. Scholar and professor on Amish culture, as well as friend and spokesman to several Amish families affected by the shooting.
AMERICA – Hispanic girl, age 16. Pregnant. Works in the local grocery store.
EDDIE STUCKEY – The gunman of schoolhouse shooting, age 33. English/non-Amish. Killed himself at the end of the schoolhouse attack.
SHERRY LOCAL – English, age 53. Resident of Nickel Mines, PA.

Additional/Optional Speaking Roles:
Fireman in the firehouse scene with Bill North
Aaron the Amish father
Amish Mother (Aaron’s wife)
Amish Son (Aaron’s son)
Reporters (anywhere from one to three works well)
Sherry Local’s husband Ray
America’s Mother

It is also possible to have an Amish community, consisting of one family or several.

In the original production, a single actress performed all seven of the original roles in the play. Distinctions between characters were made by changes in the voice and body. With that in mind, the ensemble of The Amish Project should feel as “one”—connected to one another, constantly longing for and frightened of and curious about one another. There are many ways to expand the ensemble to reflect the community of Nickel Mines during this tragedy.

In the original production, a single actress performed all seven of the original roles in the play. Distinctions between characters were made by changes in the voice and body. With that in mind, the ensemble of The Amish Project should feel as “one”—connected to one another, constantly longing for and frightened of and curious about one another. There are many ways to expand the ensemble to reflect the community of Nickel Mines during this tragedy.

  • Time Period Contemporary, New Millennium/21st Century
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Duration 75 Minutes
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

“Extraordinary... compelling... a remarkable piece of writing.” – The New York Times

The Amish Project is thought-provoking, compelling theatre.” – nytheatre.comRead More

“Extraordinary... compelling... a remarkable piece of writing.” – The New York Times, Read More

“[Dickey's] craft made me weep. The virtuosic writer-performer acts her bonnet off.” – Time Out New York, Read More

“Dickey, as formidable a playwright as she is a performer, tackles metaphysical subjects with power and empathy...must-see!” – The Star TribuneRead More

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

Forgiving Gun Violence: The Amish Project Ten Years Later
by Annette Storckman
June 6, 2019

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size N/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

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

    Please submit a license request to determine availability.

Scripts

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Authors

Jessica Dickey

Jessica Dickey, a native of Pennsylvania, began her research on Amish culture in order to write her play The Amish Project, which was praised by audiences and critics alike during its Off-Broadway run at the prestigious Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in New York City. The A ...

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