Laertes Dies Too

by Rachel Luann Strayer

FULL-LENGTH PLAY IN PROGRESS. 2024 Premiere Stages at Kean University Semi-Finalist.

Adam wakes up in a bathtub, unsure where he is or how he got there (though he strongly suspects he is dead). Enter Laertes and his sister, Ophelia, (yes, from HAMLET) to guide him on his journey through what may (or may not) be the afterlife. Interrupted by his demanding mother and someone who may (or may not) be the lost love...

FULL-LENGTH PLAY IN PROGRESS. 2024 Premiere Stages at Kean University Semi-Finalist.

Adam wakes up in a bathtub, unsure where he is or how he got there (though he strongly suspects he is dead). Enter Laertes and his sister, Ophelia, (yes, from HAMLET) to guide him on his journey through what may (or may not) be the afterlife. Interrupted by his demanding mother and someone who may (or may not) be the lost love of his life, Adam tries to peel back the layers of this tiny, special hell he's landed in. He strongly suspects that Laertes (or perhaps Ophelia?) holds the key to what is "in his memory locked." The question is whether or not he is prepared to face it.

LAERTES DIES TOO is a companion piece to my play DROWNING OPHELIA and deals with the effects of sexual abuse in families, how it begins, and the trauma it leaves behind. A semi-finalist for the 2024 Premiere Stages Play Festival at Kean University, LAERTES DIES TOO is a work in progress seeking development.

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Laertes Dies Too

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  • Premiere Stages at Kean University: Laertes Dies Too by Rachel Luann Strayer
    “

    Premiere Stages, the professional Equity theatre company in residence at Kean University, is pleased to recognize Laertes Dies Too by Rachel Luann Strayer as a Semi-Finalist for the 2024 Premiere Play Festival. Laertes Dies Too rose through a competitive selection process conducted by Premiere staff and a panel of outside theatre professionals to become one of 48 Semi-Finalists out of 760 submissions. The panel was particularly impressed by how Laertes Dies Too is a tightly-woven exploration of trauma and power. Our congratulations and thanks to Rachel.

    Premiere Stages, the professional Equity theatre company in residence at Kean University, is pleased to recognize Laertes Dies Too by Rachel Luann Strayer as a Semi-Finalist for the 2024 Premiere Play Festival. Laertes Dies Too rose through a competitive selection process conducted by Premiere staff and a panel of outside theatre professionals to become one of 48 Semi-Finalists out of 760 submissions. The panel was particularly impressed by how Laertes Dies Too is a tightly-woven exploration of trauma and power. Our congratulations and thanks to Rachel.

    ”

Character Information

  • Adam
    Adult
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Laertes
    Adult
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Ophelia
    Ageless, but child-like
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Mom
    Adult
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Samantha
    Adult
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Jane
    Adult
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary

Awards