A DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE TITLE

Flex

Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy  /  6w

Candrice Jones

The pressure is on for the 1998 Lady Train High School basketball team – not only to bring home the championship trophy but also to survive college scouting season. Infighting breaks out, and the once-tight players begin to focus on their individual futures as Black women in the South.

Flex

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    6w
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

The pressure is on for the 1998 Lady Train High School basketball team – on top of a battle to bring home the championship trophy, it is also college scouting season. But the team’s performance on the court is tested as it ruptures under the weight of its own infighting, and the once-tight players begin to focus on their individual futures. What does it mean to be a Black girl on the brink of freedom and womanhood in a small town in the South? Does honoring your own wants mean sacrificing your friends, family and team? This funny and frank play about getting a full-court press from life will have audiences cheering.

History

The world premiere of Flex was co-produced by TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, AR, and by Theatrical Outfit in Atlanta, GA. It then made its New York debut off-Broadway at Lincoln Center Theater in June 2023. 

Keywords
Performing Groups

STARRA JONES ­– 17 years old, African American girl, point guard
SIDNEY BROWN – 17 years old, African American girl, shooting guard 
CHERISE HOWARD – 17 years old, African American girl, power forward 
APRIL JENKINS – 17 years old, African American girl, shooting guard 
DONNA CUNNINGHAM – 17 years old, African American girl, center 
COACH FRANCINE PACE – 48 years old, African American woman, coach

Please do not make any exceptions to the all-Black cast.

Please do not make any exceptions to the all-Black cast.

  • Time Period 1990s
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

”Pulsatingly good!” – New York Stage Review

“Critic’s Pick! A slam-dunk New York debut! Candrice Jones excels equally in sly humor and in the swift-tongued rhythms of teenage and athletic talk.” – The New York Times

“The whooping, sighing, applause and interactions of the audience make clear how sharply the play hits home.” – The Daily Beast

Videos

  • Lincoln Center – In Conversation with the Flex Cast and Director youtube thumbnail

    Lincoln Center – In Conversation with the Flex Cast and Director

  • Flex Scene Montage youtube thumbnail

    Flex Scene Montage

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £85 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:
Get the Script

Authors

Candrice Jones

Candrice Jones
Steinberg playwright, Candrice Jones, is from Dermott, Arkansas. Her mission is to write love letters for women of the American South. A VONA Playwriting alum and CalArts Critical Studies MFA recipient, she has been a fellow at the Playwrights’ Center and MacDowell. Her play, ...
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