ON THE GREENBELT

4F, 2M - Full Length - 110 min.

ON THE GREENBELT is an exploration of family, love, memory and the question of “How do we process loss and grief?” Jules saw something terrible in the Idaho hospital the night her mom died, but she’ll never say what it was. Not to her ex, Olivia, and especially not to her brother, Jake, who keeps trying to convince her to go with him to the Greenbelt to spread their mom’s ashes with their father, Alan. But try as she might, Jules can’t shake the memories of the past that haunt her like a gin soaked hangover, and as the day unravels the past events surrounding her mother’s death come to light.

CHARACTERS

JULES - early 30’s, she/her, any ethnicity.

JAKE - early 30’s, he/him, Asian American.

ALAN - late 50’s, he/him, any ethnicity.

LYDIA - late 50’s, she/her, any ethnicity.

OLIVIA - early 30’s, she/her or they/them, BIPOC

MALLORY - late 20’s, she/her, White.


Development History

  • World Premiere - Strawdog Theatre Company, directed by Jonathan Berry (2022)

  • Nominee - The Joseph Jefferson Award for Outstanding New Work (2022)

  • Nominee - The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize (2022)

  • Semi-Finalist - Blue Ink Awards (2021)

  • Public Reading - American Blues Theatre (2021)

  • Writing Intensive - Steep Theatre Class with Alex Lubischer (2020)

Praise for ON THE GREENBELT

“Playwright and Strawdog ensemble member Karissa Murrell Myers gives us a portrait of a family mired in grief and guilt that transcends a sense of place in On the Greenbelt.”

Kathy D. Hey, Third Coast Review

“…smartly written by Strawdog ensemble member Karissa Murrell Myers, whose script captures the mix of pain and comedic banter of a family whose struggle with conflict and grief are moderated by doses of clever conversation, irony and silliness.”

Ted C. Fishman, Newcity Stage