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Chemo Girl and Other Plays

Chemo Girl and Other Plays

by Christian Kiley

A collection of plays that examine the impact of cancer as seen through the eyes of teenagers. Characters deal with the difficulty of saying the word cancer out loud, the difficulty of admitting a friend or family member has the disease, and the difficulty of finding the energy and the attitude needed to fight.

Chemo Girl can be performed as a full night of theatre or as a cutting for competition.

Drama Character Study Experimental Form Issue-Based Movement-based

Recommended for High Schools

About 90 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
Simple Set
70 pages
Classroom Study Guide
Download a free Classroom Study Guide for this play

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Performance Royalty Fees

Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.

Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.

Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.

Chemo Girl
GIRL, Camille [F] 98 lines
She is battling cancer. Screen name: Chemo Girl
MOM [F] 29 lines
Has come back to give her daughter the power to fight
GAMEMASTER [A] 37 lines
Is in charge of Save the Planet (the video game world)
WITCH [F] 8 lines
Guards the forbidden forest of living trees
LAGGER [A] 10 lines
Flies behind the flyers and helps GIRL PARTS OF THE STORM 1, TREES, MINES, STATUES, PATIENTS, FLYERS, PARTS OF THE STORM 2
The Other Room:
DAD [M]
In the other room, is seen on stage in three flashbacks
TOMMY [M] 47 lines
Watches Cubs games with his dad
MARY [F] 58 lines
Avoids the entire ordeal by going to her best friend’s house
MOM [F] 44 lines
Trying to keep the house in order
ROB [M] 12 lines
Tommy’s friend
BOB [M] 16 lines
Tommy’s friend
JEN [F] 25 lines
Mary’s best friend
Red Rover
HOLLY [F] 105 lines
girl who recently discovered she has cancer
LUCY [F] 65 lines
Her friend, Chemotherapy
The Side Effects:
NAUSEA [A] 5 lines
VOMITING [A] 5 lines
FATIGUE [A] 4 lines
FEVER [A] 2 lines
SWEATS [A] 2 lines
CHILLS [A] 5 lines
HAIR LOSS [A] 5 lines
The Visitors:
DOCTOR [A] 11 lines
MOM [F] 15 lines
DAD [M] 11 lines
CAL [A] 9 lines
PAL [A] 6 lines
SAL [A] 7 lines
SOCIAL WORKER [A] 14 lines
Waiting Room
CALLER [A] 18 lines
Calls patients in for their appointments
FAITH [F] 55 lines
Very positive and gregarious
FINN [F] 71 lines
Real name Finland, a sharp cynic
ROHAN [M] 56 lines
Real name Ronald, but uses this name as his cancer-fighting character
CLOUD [F] 23 lines
Real name Claudia, struggling with depression
OSWALD [M] 17 lines
Already knows his diagnosis and options, but comes to the waiting room once a week to be a part of something
Finn’s Family
DAD [M] 6 lines
MOM [F] 5 lines
SISTER [F] 7 lines
Rohan’s Family
DAD: [M] 15 lines
MOM [F] 5 lines
SISTER [F] 3 lines

From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre

July Reading List: Issue-Based Plays

July Reading List: Issue-Based Plays

Playwright Spotlight - Christian Kiley

Playwright Spotlight: Get to Know Christian Kiley

Theatrefolk Featured Play – Chemo Girl and Other Plays by Christian Kiley

Theatrefolk Featured Play – Chemo Girl and Other Plays by Christian Kiley

Theatrefolk’s Top 10: Plays About Empathy

Theatrefolk’s Top 10: Plays About Empathy

Theatrefolk’s Top 10: Plays for Advanced Actors

Theatrefolk’s Top 10: Plays for Advanced Actors

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