The Ruth Easton New Play Library

Ruth Easton sign e-mail
At the Ruth Easton New Play Library, located in the lobby of Pillsbury House and Theatre, you can find and read new plays that are being produced around the Twin Cities. Participating theatres include: Children’s Theatre Company, Freshwater Theatre, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre Company, Mu Performing Arts, Pillsbury House Theatre, The Playwrights’ Center, Sandbox TheatreSavage Umbrella, and Workhaus Collective.

How it Works

How it Works

Anyone may check out a script to read in the Pillsbury House and Theatre lobby. To check out a script to read, ask at the front desk. Pick up a copy of the featured script, or browse the script index and check out something else to read. Write your name, date, and email address on the check-out slip, give the slip to the front desk, and turn the script back in when you are finished. All scripts must stay in the lobby and are not to leave the building.

What Scripts We Have

New Play Library Index

AGNES UNDER THE BIG TOP Aditi Brennan Kapil Mixed Blood Theatre Company, 2011
ALIEN LOVE TRIANGLE
part of Freshwater Goes Back to High School: An Anthology of One Acts
Katherine Glover Freshwater Theatre, 2013
ANGEL FAT Trista Baldwin The Playwrights’ Center, 2013
ASIAMNESIA
part of Asian American Plays for a New Generation
Sun Mee Chomet Mu Performing Arts, 2008
THE AWAKENING Laura Leffler-McCabe Savage Umbrella, 2010
BAGMAN
part of Naked Stages 2012
David T Steinman Pillsbury House Theatre, 2012
BAHALA NA (LET IT GO)
part of Asian American Plays for a New Generation
Clarence Coo Mu Performing Arts, 2007
BALLOONACY Barry Kornhauser Children’s Theatre Company, 2011
BEATNIK GISELLE Sandbox Theatre Sandbox Theatre, 2009
BEFORE YOU SPEAK
part of Freshwater Goes Back to High School: An Anthology of One Acts
Jeri Weiss Freshwater Theatre, 2013
THE BEST SECRET SANTA PRESENT EVER IN THE HISTORY OF PECKINPAW HIGH SCHOOL
part of Freshwater Goes Back to High School: An Anthology of One Acts
Ira Gamerman Freshwater Theatre, 2013
BLACKBIRD David Harrower Pillsbury House Theatre, 2008
BROKE-OLOGY Nathan Louis Jackson Pillsbury House Theatre, 2011
THE BROTHERS SIZE
part of The Brother/Sister Plays
Tarell Alvin McCraney Pillsbury House Theatre and the Mount Curve Company, 2012
BULRUSHER Eisa Davis Pillsbury House Theatre, 2008
CARE ENOUGH Carl Atiya Swanson Savage Umbrella, 2012
CARTOON Steve Ackerman In the Heart of the Beast, 2014
CHING CHONG CHINAMAN
part of Asian American Plays for a New Generation
Lauren Yee Mu Performing Arts, 2009
CRITICAL THINKING PLUCKS CHICKENS
part of Freshwater Goes Back to High School: An Anthology of One Acts
Janet M. Bristow Freshwater Theatre, 2013
DEVON
part of Naked Stages 2012
Zoe Sommers Haas Pillsbury House Theatre, 2012
DOES THIS LOOK GAY ON ME?
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Ariel Leaf & Briana McNamara Freshwater Theatre, 2012
DON’T CRY FOR ME
part of Naked Stages 2011
Paulino Brener Pillsbury House Theatre, 2011
EASY AS PIE Chicago Avenue Project Pillsbury House Theatre, 2014
EBBING
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Janet Bristow Freshwater Theatre, 2012
EMMA WOODHOUSE IS NOT A BITCH Laura Leffler-McCabe and Tanner Curl Savage Umbrella, 2013
FOOL’S PARADOX
part of Naked Stages 2009
Julia Babb Pillsbury House Theatre, 2009
THE FUTURE OF SINCERITY
part of Freshwater Goes Back to High School: An Anthology of One Acts
Sam Graber Freshwater Theatre, 2013
THE GREAT DIVIDE Alan Berks Workhaus Collective, 2013
HABAES CORPUS
part of Naked Stages 2013
Zainab Musa Pillsbury House Theatre, 2013
HAPPY VALLEY
part of Asian American Plays for a New Generation
Aurorae Khoo Mu Performing Arts, 2005
HIDEBOUND Erik Ehn In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, 2012
homeWRECKER
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Anonymous Freshwater Theatre, 2012
IN AND OUT OF THE BODY
part of Naked Stages 2011
Moe Lionel Pillsbury House Theatre, 2011
INDIAN COWBOY
part of Asian American Plays for a New Generation
Zaraawar Mistry Mixed Blood Theatre, 2006
IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER
part of The Brother/Sister Plays
Tarell Alvin McCraney Pillsbury House Theatre and the Mount Curve Company, 2012
I WOULD NEVER LIVE IN A SOCIAL DEMOCRACY. THE LINES ARE WAY TOO LONG.
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Valerie Borey Freshwater Theatre, 2012
JUNE OF ARC Ryan Hill Sandbox Theatre, 2009
KING OF SHADOWS Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Pillsbury House Theatre, 2009
KNOTDRAWN: MY GOODNESS, THE MILK, AND THE DADDY(BODY) BETWEEN MY FATHER AND MY SON
part of Naked Stages 2009
Miré Regulus Pillsbury House Theatre, 2009
LEAVES Laura Leffler-McCabe and Tanner Curl Savage Umbrella, 2013
LOVE PERSON Aditi Brennan Kapil Mixed Blood Theatre Company, 2008
MARCUS; OR THE SECRET OF SWEET
part of The Brother/Sister Plays
Tarell Alvin McCraney Pillsbury House Theatre and the Mount Curve Company, 2014
MARK MY WORDS! Chicago Avenue Project Pillsbury House Theatre, 2012
MERCY KILLERS Michael Milligan Pillsbury House Theatre, 2014
METHONDS OF MASS OF DECEPTIONFINALBEGINNING
part of Naked Stages 2010
  1. Cochise Anderson
Pillsbury House Theatre, 2010
MIDDLE BROTHER Eric Sharp Mu Performing Arts, 2014
THE NARK
part of Freshwater Goes Back to High School: An Anthology of One Acts
Alissa M. Shellito Freshwater Theatre, 2013
NO CHILD… Nilaja Sun Pillsbury House Theatre,
2009 & 2010
OH, FATHER… Ryan Hill Sandbox Theatre, 2012
ONCE IN A BLUE MOON Chicago Avenue Project Pillsbury House Theatre, 2013
PELICAN GIRLS
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Richard Ballon Freshwater Theatre, 2012
POPLIN
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Ruth Virkus Freshwater Theatre, 2012
THE PRIDE Alexi Kaye Campbell Pillsbury House Theatre, 2012
RAIN FOLLOWS THE PLOW Rachel Nelson Savage Umbrella, 2013
REIMAGINING OEDIPUS
part of Freshwater Goes Back to High School: An Anthology of One Acts
Tom Slot Freshwater Theatre, 2013
THE ROAD WEEPS, THE WELL RUNS DRY Marcus Gardley Pillsbury House Theatre, 2013
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ANTARCTICA Mat Smart The Playwrights’ Center, 2013
SCAPEGOAT Christina Ham The Playwrights’ Center, 2013
THE SCARECROW AND HIS SERVANT based on the book by Philip Pullman; adapted for the stage by Jeffrey Hatcher Children’s Theatre Company, 2013-14
SCARS
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Greg Abbott Freshwater Theatre, 2012
SCHADENFREUDE
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Jason Rainey Freshwater Theatre, 2012
SINCE THE KIDS ARE GONE
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Michael Long Freshwater Theatre, 2012
SECOND WEDDING
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Rachel Fynn Freshwater Theatre, 2012
SEDUCING THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID
part of Naked Stages 2009
Kelley Meister Pillsbury House Theatre, 2009
A SHORT PLAY ABOUT 9/11 Dominic Orlando Workhaus Collective, 2011
SIA(B)
part of Asian American Plays for a New Generation
May Lee-Yang Mu Performing Arts, 2008
A SMALL PLAY ABOUT MARRIAGE
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Jen Scott Freshwater Theatre, 2012
TAKE THE CAKE Chicago Avenue Project Pillsbury House Theatre, 2013
VIGIL Morris Panych Pillsbury House Theatre, 2010
WAITING
part of Better (or) Worse:
The Anthology
Emily Arachtingi Freshwater Theatre, 2012
WALLEYE KID: THE MUSICAL
part of Asian American Plays for a New Generation
Music and Lyrics by Kurt Miyashiro; Book by R. A. Shiomi and Sundraya Kase Mu Performing Arts, 2005
THE WONG KIDS IN THE SECRET OF THE SPACE CHUPACABRA, GO! Lloyd Suh Children’s Theatre Company, 2012-13
YOUR HEART IS IN MY MOUTH
part of Naked Stages 2010
Janaki Ranpura Pillsbury House Theatre, 2010

About Ruth Easton

About Ruth Easton

Actress Ruth Easton (née Edelstein) was born in North Branch, Minnesota and graduated from North Branch High School. She attended the University of Minnesota for one year and the following year attended Macalester College before finishing her collegiate career at Cumnock School in Los Angeles. She went on to New York where she studied acting with Oliver Morosco. Mr. Morosco opened a stock theater company in upstate New York where Ms. Easton starred in several plays. After performing with other stock theater companies, she returned to New York City where she appeared in five Broadway plays over a period of seven years. They included Exceedingly Small, Privilege Car, Town Bay, Buckaroo, and Charlie Chan. Exceedingly Small was directed by Ethel Barrymore and Easton played opposite Eric Dressler. New York critics praised her performance as “thoroughly touching” and “highly spirited and excellent.” She starred in radio dramas on the Rudy Vallee Hour and the Fleischmann’s Yeast Hour opposite such actors as Walter Huston, Judith Anderson and Lionel Barrymore. She also appeared with Clark Gable, Eddie Cantor and Al Jolson during the course of her career.

Ms. Easton’s legacy, her commitment to theater and the development of new works continues through the charitable gifts distributed through the Ruth Easton Fund of the Edelstein Family Foundation.

Just for Fun

Animated GIF illustration of the script library

For questions on the library, or to submit a new work that is being produced in the area, contact Elise Gumm, eliseg@pillsburyhousetheatre.org or 612-787-3622.

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