A fast-paced comedy centering on the hidden life of Scott Wheeler, young headmaster of Thwaite Academy, the oldest continuously operating girls boarding school southwest of the Connecticut River. Scott appears to have everything in his conventional married life until his old flame Nick turns up, partnered to David, the new English teacher who is determined to convince the world that the founder of Thwaite was a “ninety-five percent lesbian.”

Winner of the Carol Weinberg Award for Best Play at the 2003 Baltimore Playwright’s Festival. “A sparkling traipse through the prickly politics of bisexuality.” – Baltimore City Paper. “Rich Espey’s Fifty-Fifty examines hypocrisy, sexual orientation and appearances versus reality, and it tackles these weighty themes with wit and humor” – Baltimore Sun

       Two-Act: 105 min. – one simple set

       3M: 30s

       2F: 30s, 50s

Hope, seventeen, a student at Thwaite Academy, comes of age while dealing with parental confrontation, fat camp, a college essay seminar, various on-line acquaintances, a true friend, and, ultimately, autonomy and self acceptance.

       Two-Act: 1 hr. 40 min. – one set

       2M: 20s, 40s

       4F: 16-24, one is in 40s

A ten-minute version of Hope’s Arbor [see above], focusing on the most pivotal incident in which Hope is the victim of a cruel prank at her school.

       One-Act: 10-12 min. – one set

       3F: 16-24