A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Holly Down in Heaven

Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy  /  2w, 2m

Holly collects dolls. Holly is a born-again Christian. Holly is a fifteen-year-old, brainy, outspoken, spoiled, tyrannical brat. She’s also pregnant. A dark comedy about navigating the treacherous terrain from child to adult.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 2m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Not Applicable
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 2008 Princess Grace Award for Playwriting

Details

Summary
Holly collects dolls. Holly is a born-again Christian. Holly is a fifteen-year-old, brainy, outspoken, spoiled, tyrannical brat. She’s also pregnant. During her nine-month odyssey, she must find a way to move forward with the new life she’s landed in or remain forever hidden in her own special heaven…of talking dolls. A dark comedy about navigating the treacherous terrain from child to adult.
History
Holly Down in Heaven was first presented by Forum Theatre at the Round House Theatre in Silver Spring, Maryland, on October 3, 2012. It was directed by Michael Dove.
HOLLY - African American, 15, dresses like a missionary. A know-it-all, full of attitude.
MIA - African American, 25. HOLLY's tutor.
DAD- African American, 40. Handsome, but a little nerdy.
YAGER- White, about 18 or 19. Probably good looking, but not too bright.
DOCTOR - Female, Off-stage voice
DR. McNUTHIN - A lap dummy

The other characters are all dolls and will require either off-stage live voices or some voiceover recordings.

  • Time Period Present Day
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Additional Features Puppetry
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

“Saint Simeon spent years living atop a pillar, the story goes. Saint Anthony of Egypt withdrew to the desert. Could they have chosen those routes to holiness because they lived prior to the Barbie franchise’s Dolls of the World collection? The protagonist of Holly Down in Heaven, Kara Lee Corthron’s bold, funny new play, might say so.” - The Washington Post

“Kara Lee Corthron’s new dark comedy Holly Down in Heaven is fabulous! Not only does it spur the imagination and rouse the intellect, but it also does what theatre is meant to do: it speaks directly to the world in which we live, and it does so in a refreshingly marvelous way. This show exemplifies why we should all encourage theatres to produce new works every chance they get…Kara Lee Corthron’s Holly Down in Heaven is a magnificent journey into the psychological landscape of a teenage girl, done with insight and humor—a rare combination these days of spectacle and gratuitousness.” - Maryland Theatre Guide

“In Corthron’s tight script, laughter and pathos shift capriciously…the play is refreshing and original. The dialogue is unapologetically sharp, and the characters come out recognizable and resonant on a very human level. Uncannily, the army of talking puppets only enhances the show’s nuanced humanity.” - DC Theatre Scene

Holly is an engaging contemporary valentine to childhood companions, however brutal, messed up, and borderline schizophrenic those companions may be.” - The Washingtonian

Holly Down in Heaven is an entertaining night of theater and an honest look at adolescence and growing up....[It talks] about important issues in the world – like religion and responsibility and just how much you can blame your parents for your life.” - DC Metro Theater Arts

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.

Scripts

Available Formats:

Authors

Kara Lee Corthron

Kara Lee Corthron is an NYC-based playwright. Her full-length plays include Julius by Design (Fulcrum Theater), Etched in Skin on a Sunlit Night (InterAct Theatre in Philadelphia), AliceGraceAnon (New Georges), Holly Down in Heaven (Forum Theatre in DC area), Spookwater, List ...
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