Brave Bird, a one act play, tells the story of Billy who is having a difficult time. Between his often absent parents and lack of friends at school, he struggles with loneliness. The only one who he sees every night is the monster under his bed, Dennis, who lives to torment him. One night, instead of being afraid, Billy sees Dennis for the first time and decides to befriend the creature. Their friendship grows, causing Dennis to question his life’s purpose and whether or not he can continue to live this way.
This play was performed on March 28th as a staged reading. In addition to the writing and performance of the play, I have written and illustrated the play’s most important prop: the storybook that Billy reads to Dennis also by the name of Brave Bird. This will not only act as a prop, but as a stand alone book that parallels the story of the play through the characters of Sunny and Roary. My goal is to explore storytelling visualized in design and in theater. The play investigates themes of loneliness, purpose, and friendships with the children’s book sharing these ideas towards a younger audience.
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