WROL (WITHOUT RULE OF LAW)
SUMMARY
In the garage of her suburban duplex, twelve-year-old Josephine makes apocalypse preparedness videos and posts them to YouTube. Vic takes Jujitsu. Maureen encrypts her text messages and hordes matches (because lighters fail). Sarah stuffs her knapsack with extra socks, granola, water filtration tablets and Tolkien novels, because “you don’t know where you’re going to be… when it happens… you might not be at home.”
Convinced the world at large can’t be trusted to prioritize the well-being of adolescent girls in the event of a cataclysmic event (or just in general), this determined troupe of 8th grade ‘doomers’ are committed to preparing for survival in the post -collapse society they anticipate inheriting. Judy Blume meets Rambo, WROL (Without Rule of Law) is a darkly comic coming-of-age story for complicated times.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Trinity Western University, Langley, BC (2020)
Queen Bees Productions, Production, New Barunfels, TX (2020)
Persephone Theatre, World Premiere, Saskatoon, SK (2019) ARCHIVAL PHOTO GALLERY
READINGS & DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Sunset Theatre, Reading, Wells BC (2020)
Pat The Dog/ Play Smelter, Workshop & Staged Reading, Sudbury, ON (2019)
Theatre Direct, Workshop & Staged Reading, Toronto, ON (2019)
Touchstone Theatre/ The Cultch, Workshop & Staged Reading, Vancouver, BC (2019)
Big Secret Theatre, Staged Reading, Calgary, Alberta (2018)
Banff Playwrights Lab, Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity (2018)
Alberta Theatre Projects National Playwrights Unit, Calgary, Alberta (2017-18)
Alberta Theatre Projects National Playwrights Unit, Calgary, Alberta (2016-17)
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Saskatoon & Area Professional Theatre Awards (2020) - Outstanding Original Script - Nominated
Alberta Playwrights Network - Alberta Playwriting Competition (2019) - Short Listed
ARTISTS
PERSEPHONE THEATRE WORLD PREMIERE (2019): Heather Morrison (MAUREEN), Joshua Beaudry (ROBBIE), Angela Kemp (SARAH), Kristina Hughes (VIC) and Elizabeth Nepjuk (JO). Direction by Laurel Green.
SUDBURY STAGED READING (2019): Darquise Lauzon (MAUREEN), Eric Lapalme (ROBBIE), Heather Stevenson (SARAH), Gabrielle Noel de Tilly (VIC) and Chloe Theriault (JO). Direction & dramaturgical support by Laurel Green.
TORONTO STAGED READING (2019): Megan Swaby (MAUREEN), Hershel Blatt (ROBBIE), Katherine Doering (SARAH), Mattie Driscoll (VIC) and April Leung (JO). Direction by Lynda Hill.
VANCOUVER STAGED READING (2019): Montserrat Videla (MAUREEN), Braiden Houle (ROBBIE), Amanda Sum (SARAH), Raylene Harewood (VIC) and Camille Legg (JO). Direction & dramaturgical support by Amy Lynn Strilchuk.
CALGARY STAGED READING (2018): Anna Cummer (MAUREEN), Braden Griffiths (ROBBIE), Ellen Close (SARAH), Selina Wong (VIC) and Julie Orton (JO). Direction & dramaturgical support by Laurel Green.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA...
“This is a play which masterfully threads the needle through a series of tonal shifts so audacious I scarcely noticed the time go by. From tears of laughter to tears of tragedy, the audience was brought by gut punches and gut busters to emotional peaks the likes of which aren’t commonly seen on or off stage. To say that this play MATTERS is to undersell both the incredible talent behind it and the importance of the message at its core.”
“There are plays that are amazing. There are plays that are funny. Then there are plays that are not only amazing and funny but also need to be seen. WROL is a play that needs to be seen.”
“The angry young women of Michaela Jeffery’s WROL (Without Rule of Law) are the heroes we need.”
“Congrats to @TouchstoneInVan for supporting the work of a bold new playwright with a beautifully rendered reading of WROL by Michaela Jeffery…”
“So happy we got the chance to hear WROL by the fantastic Michaela Jeffery. Such a tremendous play…”
“…the WROL reading was AMAZING tonight. Incredibly funny and heartfelt and a punch in the face at the end. Huge congrats to Michaela Jeffery and her whole team.”
“Wow! WROL (Without Rule of Law) by Michaela Jeffery: Thoughtful, provocative, heartbreaking and hilarious.”
“…what a fun, complex and poignant ride…”
“24 hours later and I’m still thinking about how beautiful, funny and emotional Michaela’s writing is…”
“Still digesting last night’s reading of WROL by Michaela Jeffery. This hilarious, intelligent and moving piece of theatre spoke to my inner child, outer adult, feminist heart and art loving soul. WE laughed and cried out loud. ”
“Fan-fucking-tastic job to the cast and crew of WROL on your staged reading tonight, and especially huge congratualtions to Michaela Jeffery who wrote such a strong, hilarious & touching script.”
“This was astounding. I cried. We all cried. “
WROL (Without Rule of Law) has been slated for publication with Playwrights Canada Press. Please sign up via the link below to be contacted when copies have been printed and are available for purchase!