the terrible girls

the terrible girls by Jacqueline Goldfinger

(1)
Productions (7)
Dark comedy
|
70 - 85 minutes
3 W, 1 M, 
Content Notes: Adult language and content
Set: Kitchen of a rural Southern bar with a small attic/crawl space.

In this wicked dark comedy of friendship, obsession, and Southern sensibilities, Mr. Witherose leaves Birdie, Gretch, and Minnie to tend to his bar while he is away on business in Atlanta. Birdie and Gretch are battling for Mr. Witherose's affection in his absence, but neither knows that Minnie is guarding his terrible secret. When an innocent tryst goes awry, the ghosts of sordid secrets come out into the open, providing a wild mix of fearless comedy and Southern Gothic horror.

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 wicked dark comedy of friendship, obsession, and Southern sensibilities, Mr. Witherose leaves Birdie, Gretch, and Minnie to tend to his bar while he is away on business in Atlanta. Birdie and Gretch are battling for Mr. Witherose's affection in his absence, but neither knows that Minnie is guarding his terrible secret. When an innocent tryst goes awry, the ghosts of sordid secrets come out into the open, providing a wild mix of fearless comedy and Southern Gothic horror.

  • Dark comedy
  • |
  • 70 - 85 minutes
  • 3 W, 1 M, 
  • Content Notes: Adult language and content
  • Set: Kitchen of a rural Southern bar with a small attic/crawl space.
  • Standard Edition ISBN: 978-1-62384-490-5

Published Reviews

"Captivating... This is an immensely entertaining and thought provoking play... It is a dark comedy for sure, but, it will also reach deep within the hearts of its audience as it delves into the complex inner lives of these three wonderfully constructed characters."

Stage Magazine

"Smoky, provocative and refreshing... As the best theater does, it forces us to reflect and leaves us in awe of what we witnessed on stage. Plus...there's fake blood and a great soundtrack and lots of laughs."

Uwishunu.com

"Sharp comic timing brings a vital levity to the cutting plot twists and nightmarish revelations. It's an interesting examination of need for authority, whether real or imagined, that keeps us in the most precarious situations. Emotional needs beat logic to the truth in this pressure-cooker drama."

CityPaper (Philadelphia)

"Tasty, tart and terrible meal...smoothly crafted amusingly dark text."

Staged (Philadelphia)

"Entertaining... A grand, grotesque little play."

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Three Stars."

Time Out New York

"All the smokiness of a Southern Gothic drama."

Backstage

"Suspenseful and provocative...a refreshing new story admirably written... What makes this play different than a mundane portrait of the modern South is its mythic quality. the terrible girls forces us to reflect on the duality of human nature and witness how deceit, desire, and obsession can lead to transgression."

nytheatre.com

Production History

MAY 06, 2022 - MAY 06, 2022
Goucher College
Towson, MD, MD United States
Goucher College Towson, MD, MD United States
FEB 21, 2018 - FEB 25, 2018
Penn State Berks
Reading, PA United States
Penn State Berks Reading, PA United States
OCT 05, 2017 - OCT 08, 2017
Aquinas College
Grand Rapids, MI United States
Aquinas College Grand Rapids, MI United States
APR 10, 2015 - APR 10, 2015
Spotlight Theatre
Swarthmore, PA United States
Spotlight Theatre Swarthmore, PA United States
JAN 17, 2014 - JAN 17, 2014
Available Light Theatre
Columbus, OH United States
Available Light Theatre Columbus, OH United States
JUN 23, 2012 - JUN 23, 2012
Acadiana Repertory Theatre
Lafayette, LA United States
Acadiana Repertory Theatre Lafayette, LA United States
MAR 10, 2011 - APR 30, 2001
Azuka Theatre Company
Philadelphia, PA United States
Azuka Theatre Company Philadelphia, PA United States
No upcoming productions.
MAR 10, 2011 - APR 30, 2001
Azuka Theatre Company
Philadelphia, PA United States
Azuka Theatre Company Philadelphia, PA United States

Awards (1)

Nominee, Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play