In this edition of Script Spotlights, we’re celebrating plays that center bold, complex, and unforgettable female characters, perfect for high school performers ready to take the stage with confidence. From quiet strength to loud rebellion, these scripts highlight young women navigating identity and agency.
Whether your students are challenging tradition, decoding family dynamics, or masterminding a high school takedown, these stories spotlight the strength it takes to speak up—and the fire it takes to lead.
Be Like Water by Lucy Wang
When Alex—a rule-following teen and Bruce Lee superfan—is cast in a tired, stereotypical dance in The Nutcracker, she’s not about to let tradition stand unchallenged. With wit, magic, and some martial arts inspiration, she leads a playful rebellion that questions identity, representation, and who gets to decide what’s “normal.” A fresh, funny, and empowering script that asks: Can we honor tradition while making room for everyone?
Year of Thirteen Moons by Germaine Shames
Sam’s world is full of shifting constellations: a distant mom, a newly-discovered half-brother, the COVID lockdown that’s thrown everything off course. But under the stars, and through the uncertainty, Sam finds a quiet resilience and a fierce, unexpected strength. Wry, warm, and cosmic in scope, this coming-of-age play is a heartfelt reminder that even when everything feels unmoored, we can still choose connection.
Answer Key by Kyle Olson
Michelle has always played by the rules...until she realizes the rules aren’t built to protect her. What begins as a small act of rebellion becomes a twisty, high-stakes school-day thriller about justice, betrayal, and calling out corruption when no one else will. Answer Key is sharp, fast, and packed with moral gray areas—led by a female protagonist who’s done being quiet.
These plays don’t just pass the Bechdel test—they toss it aside to plan world domination. Perfect for high school productions seeking rich roles, contemporary dialogue, and powerful themes, these scripts give your students stories they can own, live in, and be proud to tell.