Helen

Helen adapted by Ellen McLaughlin

(8)
Productions (24)
Comedy/Drama
|
100 - 110 minutes
4 W, 1 M, 
Content Notes: Adult language and content
Set: An elaborate hotel room in Egypt, period uncertain.

In this fresh take on Euripides' tragicomedy, Helen never went to Troy but spent the war fought in her name in an Egyptian hotel room waiting for her husband Menelaus to come find her and take her home. In her odd exile, Helen receives visits from Io, a mythical figure who was once turned into a cow, and the goddess Athena, who informs her of the devastation that Helen's empty image has wrought upon the world. Bewildered by her strange escape from her own story, even Menelaus' final arrival cannot save Helen from the legend that has grown far larger than the woman who inspired it.

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Pricing Information

Min. Performance Fee* $85
Standard Edition $13.99
Stage Manager Edition $24.99
Archival Video License $150

*The per performance fee begins at $85. Your per performance fee will be provided during the ordering process.


Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

Play Details

In this fresh take on Euripides' tragicomedy, Helen never went to Troy but spent the war fought in her name in an Egyptian hotel room waiting for her husband Menelaus to come find her and take her home. In her odd exile, Helen receives visits from Io, a mythical figure who was once turned into a cow, and the goddess Athena, who informs her of the devastation that Helen's empty image has wrought upon the world. Bewildered by her strange escape from her own story, even Menelaus' final arrival cannot save Helen from the legend that has grown far larger than the woman who inspired it.

  • Comedy/Drama
  • |
  • 100 - 110 minutes
  • 4 W, 1 M, 
  • Content Notes: Adult language and content
  • Set: An elaborate hotel room in Egypt, period uncertain.
  • Standard Edition ISBN: 978-1-62384-184-3

Published Reviews

"...McLaughlin touches on issues that the great Greek dramatist himself might have, but with her own modern slant."

Matthew Murray, Talkin' Broadway

Production History

OCT 03, 2024 - OCT 06, 2024
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH United States
 Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware, OH United States
MAR 29, 2023 - APR 02, 2023
Hillsdale College Theatre Department
Hillsdale, MI United States
 Hillsdale College Theatre Department Hillsdale, MI United States
DEC 04, 2020 - DEC 05, 2020
Haldane Drama
Cold Spring, NY United States
 Haldane Drama Cold Spring, NY United States
AUG 30, 2020 - AUG 30, 2020
Summit Performance Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN, IN United States
 Summit Performance Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN, IN United States
AUG 27, 2020 - AUG 30, 2020
Summit Performance Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN United States
 Summit Performance Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN United States
APR 01, 2020 - APR 05, 2020
Mary Baldwin University Theater Dept.
Staunton, VA United States
 Mary Baldwin University Theater Dept. Staunton, VA United States
NOV 09, 2019 - NOV 10, 2019
Emerson College
Boston, MA United States
 Emerson College Boston, MA United States
SEP 01, 2019 - OCT 31, 2019
Purchase College SUNY
Purchase, NY United States
 Purchase College SUNY Purchase, NY United States
APR 25, 2019 - APR 25, 2019
Lewis-Clark State Collge
Lewiston, ID United States
 Lewis-Clark State Collge Lewiston, ID United States
APR 17, 2019 - APR 19, 2019
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL United States
 Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL United States
MAR 29, 2019 - APR 27, 2019
Theatre Of Yugen
San Francisco, CA United States
 Theatre Of Yugen San Francisco, CA United States
NOV 01, 2018 - NOV 04, 2018
Bluffton University
Bluffton, OH United States
 Bluffton University Bluffton, OH United States
OCT 26, 2018 - NOV 04, 2018
Isadoora Theatre Company, Inc
Sturgeon Bay, WI United States
 Isadoora Theatre Company, Inc Sturgeon Bay, WI United States
FEB 13, 2017 - FEB 13, 2017
American Players Theatre
Spring Green, WI United States
 American Players Theatre Spring Green, WI United States
FEB 19, 2015 - FEB 28, 2015
Willamette University
Salem, OR United States
 Willamette University Salem, OR United States
NOV 20, 2014 - DEC 07, 2014
Univeristy Theatre, University Of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI United States
 Univeristy Theatre, University Of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI United States
OCT 05, 2012 - OCT 13, 2012
Hope College DeWitt Theatre
Holland, MI United States
 Hope College DeWitt Theatre Holland, MI United States
SEP 09, 2011 - SEP 25, 2011
Cyrano's Theatre Company
Anchorage, AK United States
 Cyrano's Theatre Company Anchorage, AK United States
MAY 01, 2011 - MAY 25, 2011
Vintage Theater Collective
Chicago, IL United States
 Vintage Theater Collective Chicago, IL United States
MAY 01, 2011 - MAY 25, 2011
Vintage Theater Collective
Chicago, IL United States
 Vintage Theater Collective Chicago, IL United States
JAN 28, 2011 - FEB 12, 2011
20% Theatre Company
St. Paul, MN United States
 20% Theatre Company St. Paul, MN United States
NOV 05, 2010 - NOV 13, 2010
Kathie Rasmussen Women's Theatre
Madison, WI United States
 Kathie Rasmussen Women's Theatre Madison, WI United States
JAN 01, 2006 - DEC 31, 2006
Live Arts
Charlottesville, NC United States
 Live Arts Charlottesville, NC United States
APR 01, 2002 - APR 30, 2002
The Public Theater
New York, NY United States
 The Public Theater New York, NY United States
No upcoming productions.
FEB 13, 2017 - FEB 13, 2017
American Players Theatre
Spring Green, WI United States
 American Players Theatre Spring Green, WI United States
MAY 01, 2011 - MAY 25, 2011
Vintage Theater Collective
Chicago, IL United States
 Vintage Theater Collective Chicago, IL United States
JAN 01, 2006 - DEC 31, 2006
Live Arts
Charlottesville, NC United States
 Live Arts Charlottesville, NC United States
APR 01, 2002 - APR 30, 2002
The Public Theater
New York, NY United States
 The Public Theater New York, NY United States

Archival Video License

Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License to add to your order for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

This allows you to record one of your live performances for your internal archives only. This cannot be streamed.

For more information, please reach out to [email protected]

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