The next play for your summer reading list has a very special place in my heart. Cheerleaders VS. Aliens encompasses a lot of firsts for me; it was my first commission from the Egyptian YouTheatre, the first play I wrote specifically for high school aged performers, and my first published full-length (published with Pioneer Drama Service). It is a comedic and campy romp that casts all over the country have had an absolute blast with. Need more reasons to check it out? I got you!
Looking for a play with a large flexible cast?
Again, it's always nice to have options! While this cast of twenty can't really be minimized, there's room for additional non-speaking roles to be added in, if you are blessed with a lot of eager students, and there are six characters that genders aren't specified (the aliens!). All in all, there are ten characters using she/her pronouns, four that use he/his, and six that use any, plus the option to add in additional characters for those programs whose cups runneth over.
Looking for a comedic dynamo that will strengthen everyone's tummy muscles?
This play is a hoot and a half, there's no denying it. Not only will your actors have a great time bringing this story to life, your audience is guaranteed to bust a gut. And, not only is Cheerleaders VS. Aliens chock full of jokes, there's also a ton of physical comedy for your actors to sink their teeth into.
Looking for a play that flips the script on gender norms?
One of my favorite aspects of this play is that Cheerleaders are the heroes! They hatch a plan, complete with tinfoil and matching jackets, and battle aliens in order to save their football team, and (probably) the entire population of planet Earth. It's fun to have young ladies saving the day, when we're so used to seeing them portrayed as helpless damsels in distress.
Looking for unique merchandising opportunity?
In Alchemy Theatre‘s production of Cheerleaders VS. Aliens they had the fun idea to sell merch with “Team Cheerleaders” and “Team Aliens” written across them, giving friends and family of the actors a way to show their support from the audience. This is just one example of the amount of potential fun you can have with this script! Because, really, with a play this hilarious, the fun potential is limitless.
Here's the synopsis for Cheerleaders VS. Aliens:
When aliens invade a small town and abduct the Greenville High School football team in order steal their “brain jelly,” it’s up to some cheerleaders, their soccer star friend, a self-proclaimed sci-fi nerd, and “the new girl” to save the hapless boys — and the very world as we know it!
The mysterious aliens announce plans to abduct the “ballfoot” players and leave them lobotomized! Fortunately, nerdy Gilda has a plan — it’s all spelled out in a book by her favorite sci-fi author. Using tinfoil, smoke bombs, grit, wit, and good old-fashioned school spirit, the cheerleaders take on the aliens in an epic battle. Will they all live to tell the tale? Thanks to a popular household dessert, maybe so!
Your cast and crew will have a ton of fun staging this show, which is at once both a classic story of good vs. evil and a fresh, modern tale that dispels tired tropes and old stereotypes while showing the power of positive thinking, teamwork, and acceptance.
Cheerleaders VS. Aliens is a full-length sci-fi comedy that runs approximately 90 minutes, with a cast of twenty. Find it today with Pioneer Drama Service!
Happy Summer reading!