About the Plays:

Some great pieces for performance or scene work.

The annual Keen Teens Festival of New Work (commonly referred to as Keen Teens) is a unique and free educational theatre program, run by the Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning Keen Company. Keen Teens was formed in 2007 to improve the quality of plays written for high school students by commissioning scripts from highly regarded professional writers. Playwrights write material specifically for teenagers, in plays that must be 30 minutes long, have a cast size of 10 or more, and have an ensemble structure. Keen Teens then casts high school students from across the New York metropolitan area to perform in the World Premiere productions of these plays at an Off-Broadway setting.

The Keen Collection: Volume 11 contains three short plays written by Dennis A. Allen II, Laura Neill, and Jesús Valles, which premiered at Off-Broadway's Theatre Row as part of 2024 Keen Teens Festival of New Work. Another highlight of Keen Teens is that the plays are published, with the student's names listed, which helps build the canon of work for high school students. To date, more than 200 performances of Keen Teen plays have been produced all over the world, from Australia to Singapore.

The Doctor Will See You Shortly is a dramatic comedy by Laura Neill
Fed up with long wait times and dismissive diagnoses, teenagers in a gynecologist's waiting room decide to build their own community toward healing. Powered by exuberant flash mobs that express rage, power, and helpful tips about what could be going on with your vagina, The Doctor Will See You Shortly is a dramedy for anyone who's ever felt dread about going to the gynecologist. (Cast: 2 female, 8 any gender + optional ensemble).

The Odds Are… is a dramatic comedy by Dennis A. Allen II
Set in the not-too-distant future at a gambling addiction rehabilitation center for teens, The Odds Are… shines a spotlight on 16-year-old Jasmine and the other young residents as they navigate personal struggles and grapple with the societal forces that brought them there. (Cast: 3 female, 6 male, 1 non-binary).

Milewalkers is a dramatic comedy by Jesús Valles
It's time to "run" the mile, but for Fahren, Alyssa, Sonia and Savannah, the mile is something you walk with friends while you contemplate love, mortality, friendship, and Hot Fries. Milewalkers asks us to return to middle school and revisit all the big and small ways that young adults tackle big life questions. (Cast: 4 female, 5 male, 1 non-binary).