A PLAYSCRIPTS TITLE

Badger (one-act)

Short Play, Drama  /  9w, 5m, 1 any gender (adult) plus ensemble

Don Zolidis

In 1944, four young women take newly-available jobs at one of the largest munitions factories in the United States: the Badger Ordnance Works.

Badger (one-act)

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    9w, 5m, 1 any gender (adult) plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    40 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Period
  • Suggested Use
    • Competition or Audition Material
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Badger (one-act)

Details

Summary

In 1944, four young women take newly-available jobs at one of the largest munitions factories in the United States: the Badger Ordnance Works. Facing dangerous work with highly flammable powder as well as insidious sexism, the women form an unlikely friendship through joy and heartbreak. A vibrant ensemble brings the factory to life as each of the women confronts not only the challenges of entering the workforce in the darkest days of World War II, but also who she is and what she truly values. Unforgettable human stories make the era immediate in this captivating ensemble drama.  

Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups

ROSE – 18, nervous. 
BARBARA – 23, a young mother determined to earn her own money. 
IRENE JACOBS – 21, a strong, forceful woman. Can be gender nonconforming, but not required. 
GRACE – 19, a free spirit, unattached, a bit of a hellraiser. 
CHORUS – Comprised of other men and women, dressed in the uniform of the day (coveralls, headscarves for the women, at different times they may don facemasks or become locals) – should be at least 5M and 5F – can easily be more. The Chorus plays workers, dancers, and soldiers at various times in the play. 
BURT – An older worker, kind of a sexist jerk. One of the Chorus Members. 
TIMOTHY – 18, walks with a serious limp, from polio at a young age. One of the Chorus Members. 
CHESTER – 40s, the supervisor. One of the Chorus Members. 
JOHN – Mid 20s, Barbara’s husband. One of the Chorus Members. 
JOE – A man in a training video. One of the Chorus Members. 
BOB – A man in a training video. One of the Chorus Members. 
GLADYS – A woman ordnance worker. One of the Chorus Members. 
MARY – A woman ordnance worker. One of the Chorus Members. 
BEN – 30s, a worker at the plant. One of the Chorus Members. 
NEWSREEL VOICE  

  • Time Period 1940s/WWII
  • Setting

    The Badger Ordnance Works and environs. Baraboo, Wisconsin. 1944-45.

  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 40 minutes

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £30 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

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Authors

Don Zolidis

Don Zolidis

Don Zolidis, one of the most-produced playwrights in the world, is a former middle school and high school theater teacher. His 140+ published plays have been produced over 25,000 times, appearing in all 50 states, every Canadian province, and more than 80 countries around the ...

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