In the aftermath of a massive miscommunication about biology, iguana Arthur comes to the conclusion that his best friend, a human named Mari, must be dying. He makes up his mind to take the most “noble” course of action—whether Mari likes it or not. Part madcap comedy, part menstrual health PSA.
The play with an Iguana has a Sequel by Liz Dooley
Since the last… adventure, Arthur the iguana has done everything in his power to research human biology so he doesn’t make any more big mistakes. Armed with his newfound information, he sets out to protect Mari from a new threat: himself. But was she ever really in danger? And is she actually any safer now? Part madcap comedy, part menstrual health PSA—part two. Followed by a talkback with the cast and writer/
Directed by Monica Cross
Monica Cross is a playwright and theatre maker in Gainesville, FL. She earned her Master of Letters and Master of Fine Arts from Mary Baldwin University (formerly Mary Baldwin College) in 2012 and 2013, respectively, and her Bachelors of Arts from New College of Florida in 2010. Her plays include “Cyrano on the Moon” (Tampa International Fringe Festival 2017, Minnesota Fringe Festival 2018, and Femme Fatale Play Festival 2020 on Zoom), Wonder of Our Stage (winner of The Players New Play Festival 2018, The Players Summer Sizzlers Series 2019), and The Aria of Julie d’Aubigny (Semifinalist O’Neill New Play Conference 2021 and American Shakespeare Center’s Shakespeare’s New Contemporaries 2021). She is a board member for the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre, where she heads their Homegrown Local Playwrights’ Showcase, and spearheaded their Sunday Sci-fi Serials project online in 2020. This is her third time directing for Quarantine Players. She is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America and her work can be found on the New Play Exchange.
Director’s Statement:
Sometimes we put on plays because they have an important message, sometimes we put on plays because of their sheer entertainment value, but it is always an absolute delight to work on a play with both. “This Play Has an Iguana for a Protagonist” and “The Play With the Iguana Has a Sequel Now” are absolutely that! Liz Dooley finds a way to discuss the stigma and misinformation around discussions of menstrual health through the perspective of a pet iguana named Arthur. As Mari, Arthur’s Human, points out: as a reptile, it’s a stretch to assume an iguana would automatically know what a period is. So this play does an outstanding and hilarious job of explaining menstruation in a way that would be appropriate for your closest reptilian friend. Dooley highlights how avoiding topics that we might feel are “awkward” leads the way for misinformation to creep in and take hold. So check out “This Play Has an Iguana for a Protagonist” and “The Play With the Iguana Has a Sequel Now” to set the record straight. Also, we have puppets!
About The Playwright, Liz Dooley
Liz Dooley is an asexual- and female-identifying theatre artist based in Atlanta. Her Young Adult Play, FIDGET AND TILDY, has been featured at Synchronicity Theatre through Working Title Playwright’s First Light Series, and her work (WHEREVER) has been featured at Actor’s Express as part of the One-Minute Play Festival. In addition, her short play THIS PLAY HAS AN IGUANA FOR A PROTAGONIST has been produced across the country, including through Quarantine Players and as part of Iowa State University’s Undergrad Director Showcase. She is an active member of Working Title Playwrights and a founding member of the Cultivators, an Atlanta-based new-work development organization for theatre and film. Liz graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2014 with a dual major BA in Theatre Arts and Psychology. She studied as a playwriting apprentice at Horizon Theatre during the 2014-2015 season, under Addae Moon.https://newplayexchange.org/users/28626/liz-dooley
Make a one-time contribution
Make a monthly contribution
Make a yearly contribution
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
ContributionContributionContributionAbout the Quarantine Players
Produced by A. J. Campbell, Quarantine Players
Website https://quarantineplayers.org/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/qplayers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuarantinePlayers
Twitter: https://twitter.com/q_players
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quarantineplayers
Amazon Fire TV APP: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VJHBT8W/
We can all sit around and list off the problems with modern theater so I won’t bore you with a recitation of facts we all largely agree upon. The Quarantine Players are a scrappy theater start-up that is in a position to break all the rules. We were told we can’t put out new work all the time. Yes, we can you just have to treat playwrights like they matter, make them part of the process, and value our input. We are your source for new plays from amazing playwrights. Each week we choose a new play to read for you. We are different because we involve the playwright in every step of the process. Most of our writers will attend all the rehearsals and provide feedback along the way. We don’t just honor playwrights by waiting till their work goes into the Public domain so we don’t have to pay them. We prefer our playwrights to still have their pulse.
Cast
Voice of Iguana: Scott Sickles
The puppeteer is Clayton Bauldree
Elizabeth Rossen as Mari
Draper Harris as Jeff Stage
Direction: Gayle Grimes
Draper Harris
Draper Harris (Jeff). Theatre credits include: Much Ado About Nothing, Dutchman, …and jesus moonwalks the mississippi, Ondine, West Side Story, and Golden Lotus. Film: Night School, Trial By Fire, The Hate U Give, Come Sunday. TV:”Star”, “The Resident”, “Quad”, “Insatiable”. BA Theatre UMASS. www.draperharris.weebly.com
Gayle Grimes
The Iguana plays were an extremely fun experience and Gayle is grateful to Monica for letting her be a part! Gayle has quite a lot of live theater experience and awards in the Northern Virginia area pre-pandemic and, hopefully, post- pandemic. Her most recent production was in November 2020 as Effie in ‘Waiting for the Host’ with The Arlington Players on Zoom.
Gayle has been a member of Quarantine Players since it’s inception back in March 2020 Pandemic lockdown. Some favorite on camera performance readings include Bette Davis in ‘Legends and Bridge’, Rep. Katie Porter in ‘The Washington Squares’, and Ka-wren Fuchs -Busey in the continuing Youtube production of ‘Offstage’. Gayle hopes to continue working with the Quarantine Players and other play reading groups in the future and can’t wait for Live Theater to again be part of her life!
Scott C. Sickles
(Voice of Arthur) does not usually act, but when he does it’s frequently on book. Memorized roles include Todd the artistic director in the webseries pilot Off-Off-Kilter, Gluttony in Martin Alper’s Seven Deadly Sins, and Phil Dezarian in Shooting Johnson Roebling. He was grateful for multiple takes. Primarily a playwright, recent publications include Playing on the Periphery: Monologues and Scenes for and About Queer Kids (Amazon/KDP), Hairdresser on Fire and Composure (Next Stage Press), and Badger and Frame (Applause). A nine-time Emmy nominee and five-time WGA Award winner for General Hospital, Sickles is a proud LGBTQ, neurodivergent, mixed-race Korean American. NPX.
Elizabeth Rossen
Elizabeth Rossen has appeared in several productions both on stage and online with the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre in Gainesville, FL. She recently appeared in the online Sci-Fi series The Visionaire and last appeared on stage as Lois/Savannah in the murder mystery comedy You Have the Right to Remain Dead. Elizabeth has shared her voice and dance skills as Florinda the evil stepsister in Into the Woods and as a Transylvanian in the stage production of The Rocky Horror Show. Elizabeth is grateful to her husband Brent, their daughter, and their family for their continued support and inspiration..
Clayton Bauldree
Clayton Bauldree is a queer theatre artist and playwright. Most recently, Bauldree’s Sci-fi/Horror play, The Graveyard Shift has been produced by The Garden of Voices, a podcast theatre troupe. While usually behind the scenes as a designer, they were happy to lend both their building skills and hands to this wonderful production.
Quarantine Players 