Cockroaches

written by Emma Schillage

Dramaturg

Cockroaches is a Southern Gothic dark comedy about three sisters trapped in their childhood home grappling with their mother's most recent suicide attempt. Momma has been acting strange since coming home from the hospital, causing her eldest daughter, Jenny, to come home from college, her middle child, Charlie, to act out, and her youngest child, Sissy, to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Meanwhile, monsters lurk, ready to consume every bit of innocence. As their mother's humanity fades, the sisters must learn to care for themselves and each other before it is too late. Cockroaches explores how we create monsters, survive, punish, and learn from them in the wake of disaster. Inspired by Southern Gothic tales and loosely based on Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, the play features three young female characters filled with rage, joy, and fierce humor as they navigate a dark and treacherous world.

To begin my work on Cockroaches, I created the “World of Cockroaches” packet to provide a geographic profile of the play’s setting. Many of the characters are struggling with their life expectations due to their socioeconomic state, so I wanted to provide the company with a basis for where these judgments originate. The packet delves into the economic, education, race, drug use, employment, etc., of Louisiana's regions that inspire the play. The packet also analyzes the Southern Gothic genre that inspires playwright Schillage and pinpoints how the text borrows from the established style while pushing it forward. Once in production, I worked with Schillage to focus the play’s intertwining narratives, bringing themes like innocence and anger to the surface.

Creative

Playwright: Emma Schillage. Director: Miguel Bregante Producer: Emma Richmond Stage Manager: Amelia McGinnis. Intimacy Director: Jaqueline Holloway Dramaturgs: Reilly Conlon and Dezi Tibbs

Cast

Mackenzie Moyer, Zoey Peacock-Jones, Elizabeth Robbins, Riley Spencer, Catt Fillipov

Design

Scenic/Props Designer: Thomas Jenkeleit Costume Designer: Karen Boyer Lighting Designer: Andre Segar Sound Designer: Angela Baughman