Sixteen Shambles
Janet is about to celebrate her sweet sixteenth birthday, but little does she know it's going to be the worst day of her life. Things start spiraling downward from the moment she wakes up and gets toothpaste all over her shirt. This sets off a chain reaction of misfortune as she faces a variety of kooky characters insistent on ruining her big day. From her manic-depressive English teacher and a hot-headed driving instructor, to an overly sensitive drama coach and a super-creepy mortician, Janet is up to her ears in craziness. She's determined to put an end to the pandemonium, but that's one enormous wish for only sixteen candles. Is it time for her to go to bed and hide under the covers? Or is it time to wake up?
Productions
Behind The Scenes
PLAYWRIGHT BRADLEY HAYWARD TALKS ABOUT
"SIXTEEN SHAMBLES"
Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THE PLAY?
A: When I was in high school, I always felt like my agenda was overflowing with exams, play rehearsals, family gatherings, etc. At some point in time, however, I realized that it was important to schedule time to relax. I thought it would be funny to watch a perfectly rational person be driven to hysteria by a host of looney characters! Then she, too, can have the same realization I did - that life is too short to always be so busy.
Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART OR LINE IN THE PLAY?
A: The biggest laugh always comes when the seriously depressed biology teacher attaches her online chat with her boyfriend to her latest exam: "I want you to write a 200-word essay on what a pig he is." A close second is when the mortician dusts the corpse with lemon Pledge: "Just like new. Well...not really." Personally, I love when the drama coach insists that "the audience doesn't matter." (They do, by the way!)
Q: WHERE DID YOUR CHARACTERS COME FROM? AND ARE THEY BASED ON PEOPLE YOU KNOW?
A: I think everybody has known characters like the ones in this play. I sure did...unfortunately.
Q: WHAT DID YOU TRY TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS PLAY?
A: To get the audience, both adults and teenagers, to appreciate the importance of "me time." It's perfectly all right to ditch the cell phone and go out for ice cream every once in a while. My scale says I might do this a bit too frequently, but at least I'm happy!