25 Plays That Pass the Bechdel Test

The Bechdel Test or Bechdel-Wallace Test, is one measurement of how well women are represented in film, and has carried over into plays and other literary work. It was first written by cartoonist, Alison Bechdel and she credits her friend, Liz Wallace, for the test. The test is simple. Your writing passes the Bechdel-Wallace Test if you can answer YES to the following 3 questions:

1. Does your writing have at least 2 women in it?

2. Do the 2 women talk to each other?

3. Do the women talk to each other about something other than men?

I don’t think the Bechdel Test was devised as the ultimate test for representation of women or their issues, and when using it, it shouldn’t be considered a “be-all end-all.” It was originally a conversation between two women in a comic about going to the movies. It’s important to note that there are plenty of literary works with strong, interesting or important female characters that don’t pass this test. There are plays and films that deal with feminist topics which also don’t pass this test. Any 2-hander play with a male/female cast can’t pass the test. And there are awful plays or films that objectify or belittle women that do pass. There isn’t any kind of specified length or depth of conversation, so the bar isn’t super high with these 3 criteria either. But all that aside, even the idea of the Bechdel Test has raised awareness of how females are represented in film and theater and this is important. It’s important because gender inequality continues to be present in the industry (women are still far less represented as playwrights, producers, actors, designers—even though plays with women in lead positions statistically do better financially than those without). In reports using the Bechdel-Test, only about 58% of films passed this test in the same year 95% of films passed the “reverse Bechdel Test” (same criteria but for men).

As writers, we create the ground floor by creating who the characters are. We can have more women roles if we write more women roles. And we can remind everyone that women and girls have more to talk about than just the opposite sex if we write more dialogue where they’re NOT just talking about the opposite sex. A number of my plays pass the Bechdel Test because I write a lot of female roles and my stakes are usually a bit weirder than romantically charged (when you’re dealing with rabbits on the run, your mom becoming your sister, or serious issues like human trafficking, the boy next door is not usually the first thing on your mind!).

(*I also want to acknowledge there are variations on this test which are used to measure representation in other ways, and this is important too).

So here is a list of 25 plays that pass the Bechdel/Bechdel-Wallace Test, varying from 5-minute children’s plays to 10-minute dark comedies to one-act comedies to a dramatic full-length play.

25+ PLAYS THAT PASS THE BECHDEL TEST

FREE SPACE (3 female, 1 male)
Full-length dark comedy/absurdist thriller
Amelia spends her days under the watchful eye of her mother, doing the same nothing she has done for years. Yet when Bingo arrives at her local community center, a talking Bingo chip convinces Amelia that forming her own game is the way out of this life and away from her controlling mother. However, as her mother begins acting like her newly arrived sister, and the chip becomes increasingly dominating, Amelia discovers her new life is nothing as she imagined.

FOR MY SILENT SISTERS (5-7 female, 3 male)
Full-length drama
Set in the countries of Cambodia, Romania, India and the United States, four teenagers struggle to escape the dark underworld of human trafficking.  Jorani has been sold to a brothel in payment for her sister’s gambling debt, and her Buddhist upbringing is put to the test.  Marta seeks a new life as a translator in England, but after finding her “employer” has vastly different plans for her, she must risk her own life to save another.  After a fight with her father, Claire meets an older man whom she starts to fall for—but whose manipulation over her brings on severe consequences. Abhay, living on the streets of Mumbai, finds employment at a brothel and must decide if the “good life” is worth the atrocities.  While living in four different parts of the world, their lives are intertwined, and their support of each other binds this connection.  This drama shines light on the real horrors that occur all over the world, and the hope and faith that allow children to survive.

THE MOON RIVER RAFT (2 female)
10-20 minute dark comedy
Two rabbits flee for their lives, holding onto hope that a mysterious secret Moon River Raft will carry all “Woundeds” to a perfect land. But things are rarely what they seem in the middle of the night…at a creepy river bank…in a forest…under the moon…

KNOCKING LOUDER (3 female)
10-minute absurdist/dark comedy
Carol adores, but neglects, the newborn baby placed in her custody. When her sister, Lilah, insists the baby be returned to his mother, Carol takes extreme measures to ensure she keep the infant.

JUMPING THE WIND (2 any gender)
10-minute dark comedy/absurdist
Two pieces of pollen must make the treacherous jump from a dying flower to a fresh one.

THERE ONCE WERE TWO CLOUDS IN THE SKY (2 any gender)
A quirky comedy/drama
Two clouds try to find meaning (or not) with their very limited time on this earth…before their dissipate and disappear forever.
*Winner of the 2023 Bradford Gromelski Jury Award at Fusion Theatre.

HOLDING GINGER (2 female)
10-minute drama/comedy
When Jenna breaks a special gift a boy gave her older sister, they are not only faced with broken glass to clean up, but they are also faced with the changing dynamics of their family.

THE TENTH OAK TREE (2 female)
10-minute comedy/drama
Carrot and Potato, lifelong friends despite the opposing nature of their heritage, try to get an important letter to Carrot's lost children.

SHARING SOIL (2 female or 2 any gender)
10-minute comedy/drama
In soil cultures, prejudices run deep for carrots and potatoes.. But when bully vegetables draw Carrot and Potato together, they must decide if their new friendship is worth risking their safety and rejection from their own garden cultures.

GREENHOUSE LIVING (5 any gender)
10-minute absurdist dark comedy
When a new tulip arrives in the greenhouse, the long-time residents (a hyacinth, a fern, a poinsettia) make him pay for the fresh air and space he takes up.

MOVEMENTS OF THE WIND (5 any gender)
Full-length allegory/dramedy in 5 parts
As wind sweeps through a garden, its inhabitants must confront the volatile effects of Mother Nature, as well as their own changing nature. The story follows several short, intertwined pieces, as Carrot and Potato, taught to be enemies from birth, struggle to remain friends, Tulip wants more out of life than only her partner, and two pieces of pollen attempt to make a dangerous jump from a dying flower to a fresh one. Through sacrifice and friendship, they must not only survive their trials, but also come to populate another generation.

RUBY AND MILLIE & THE DYING CUCUMBERS (2 female)
10-minute comedy/drama/1940s
While her father is in a POW Camp during WWII, the young Ruby has been charged with leading her apartment building’s rooftop victory garden back in White Plains, NY. Her older sister, teenage Millie, carrying weighty responsibilities of her own, has been searching for Ruby tonight and finally finds her on the rooftop. While Millie tries to convince Ruby to come inside to bed, Ruby discovers some of her vegetables are dying, and fears this is a harbinger of bad news for her father and the war.

THE VICTORY GARDEN PLAYS (3-8 female, 2-4 male)
Full-length drama/comedy in 7 parts/1940s
While soldiers fight abroad in WW2, those remaining on the Homefront strive to make a difference by creating Victory Gardens, supplementing limited food supply. But the pressures on the homefront extend much further than simply growing produce. A child worries her failing rooftop garden is an omen of misfortune for her father’s return from a POW camp. An infertile woman throws her purpose into feeding neighborhood families. A wealthy man whose chemical plant is commissioned by the government for war purposes struggles with how to leave a meaningful legacy not tainted with warfare. These stories, and more, are given light in The Victory Garden Plays, a series of 7 vignettes chronicling people’s journeys with their new realities of love, growth, life and death.

MY BEST MYSELF (2 female)
5-10 minute comedy/drama
While Megan and Kel are waiting for their school bus to arrive, Megan challenges Kel to prove how she received her latest Girl Scout badge.

CHAOS IN A CHRISTMAS SNOW GLOBE (9 any gender, 1 male, 1 female + unlimited non-speaking roles)
One-act comedy
When the Christmas Snow Globe gang gets bored with their same routine, Santa uses Christmas Magic to bring them a bit of excitement. But no one expects this excitement to arrive in the form of a Halloween jack-o-lantern inside their snow globe! Can Jack-o-Lantern convince the Christmas friends that it truly belongs with them, or will it be booted back to the dusty shelf? Enjoy this family-friendly one-act play about acceptance and appreciation.

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE MUD PUDDLE (8 female, 4 male)
One-act comedy
Taylor and Chloe have been best friends for years. At least, they had been, until Taylor suddenly and mysteriously throws an over-the-top yacht party the same day as Chloe’s birthday party.  Despite Taylor’s reputation as the meanest girl in school, her party fills up, as no one wants to turn down the chance to sample an extravagant candy station, dance to the live music of the hottest new band, or receive a $50 gift card goodie bag.  But before the boat even leaves the dock, Taylor begins to turn on her guests, moving in on Jasmine’s crush, telling Ronni to “walk the plank!” and humiliating the new girl, Amanda.  Will the lure of the luxurious yacht, complete with its very own ferris wheel, and live entertainment, be enough to keep the guests from walking?  Or will they abandon ship for nicer ground at Chloe’s backyard ice cream party?  Loyalties and friendships are tested in this ensemble cast play, and of course, someone gets pushed into a mud puddle.

THE BRONZE LINING (2 female)
10-minute drama/comedy
When two estranged sisters attempt to bond during a hike after their mother’s death, they confront whether there may be too much damage between them to repair.

A LIFE SPURRED INTO MEANINGFUL ADVENTURE (2 female, or 1 female/1 gender flexible. Pronoun for Little Bear may be masculine but role is gender flexible)
10-minute drama/comedy fairy-tale play
When Goldilocks and Little Bear find themselves alone in the forest, they must decide if they will embark on a new future together.

WHEN MARSHMALLOWS BURN (2 female or 1 female/1 gender flexible. *Pronoun of child is male below, but can be female/gender flexible)
10-minute dark comedy/absurdist thriller
Sammy and his mom are enjoying roasting marshmallows by the fire, under the full moon, when something very strange starts to happen. Sammy’s arms look a little furry. His teeth look a lot like fangs. And he has a sudden urge to kill squirrels—and eat them raw. What (or who) else will he have an urge to kill? Is there anything his mother can do to stop him, or can she ultimately accept and love him? This is a dark comedy about a boy becoming a werewolf, but it’s also a story about needing acceptance and love, in the face of evolving identity.

RUBY AND MILLIE & THE OLD CHEMICAL PLANT (2 female)
A comedy/drama, 1990s
Sisters, Ruby and Millie have always been extremely close—from Millie caring for Ruby during the strain of WW2, to Ruby watching out for Millie’s bad knees. Neither one can imagine life without the other by her side. But now they struggle with decisions that may, for the first time in 60+ years, take them far away from each other.

FUNERAL FOR A CRAYFISH (2 any gender)
5 to 10 minute comedy
When a classroom crayfish meets an untimely demise, Ari and Queen must figure out whose crayfish suffered this unexpected fate! It’s going to take some clever detective skills though, because unfortunately, Juliet used the same color permanent marker to dot her crayfish’s back as Ari did! Will the clues they uncover be enough to solve the mystery? This is a 5-minute comedy for children which explores friendship, problem solving and working together! It also includes a fun Question and Answer page all about crayfish!

STARING AT THE SLOTH (2 any gender)
5-minute children’s play
The sloth at the zoo keeps staring at Riley. Is it Riley’s spiky hair? Long nose? Or chocolate milk stain? Can Jaime convince Riley that the sloth is not making fun of her, but rather, maybe, just maybe, thinks Riley is cool? Staring at The Sloth is a funny, sweet play about friendship, self-acceptance, and of course…sloths!

PEBBLES AND TAILS (3 any gender)
5-10 minute children’s comedy
Scoot, Wiggles and Crunch have been friends since they hatched from eggs in the pond, hiding from predators together, protecting each other, and playing “Kick Pebble” together. But when Scoot realizes that Wiggles and Crunch have developed into froglets, while Scoot remains a tadpole, Scoot feels left behind. Is their friendship strong enough to endure these changing phases? Pebbles and Tails is a story about frogs growing up, but it’s also a story of bravery, kindness, loyalty and friendship.

THE SHIPWRECK SOLUTION (4 any gender)
5-10 minute children’s comedy
What do a box jellyfish, a mako shark, an anglerfish and a tiger shark have in common? They all want to live in the same abandoned shipwreck on the ocean floor! No one wants to share, no one wants to live somewhere else and…uh oh…what if someone can’t help but want to eat someone else? Check out The Shipwreck Solution to discover if these four, very different creatures, can find a way to work it out!

THE WITCH IN THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE (2 female, 1-2 male, 2 children any gender)
One-act dark comedy/drama
After giving up her dreary home at The Witches' Estate in search of warmth and sweetness, Delphine creates a new life for herself on the outskirts of a busy village. She builds a beautiful and welcoming gingerbread house to live in, and opens her home and treats to the children of the village. Despite her openness, the children return her kindness with mischief and terrorism. Delphine’s giving spirit retreats, and she draws upon her witch’s disposition to survive.  But when she finds two strange and other-worldly children, named Hansel and Gretel, gnawing at the icing on her house, her true nature is put to the test--and her life changes forever.

BRUSH THEM FLEAS (4 female/2 male, or 5 female/1 male)
A full-length absurdist comedy/dark comedy
As the owner of a high-end dog grooming salon, Tootsie takes great pride in presenting an upstanding establishment. Yet when Mr. Boland's dog is murdered on site, it stirs up ill feelings and suspicion amongst the staff and clients. Through the commotion, however, Mr. Boland discovers a rare connection with an awkward dog groomer, Stacy, who thinks he may give meaning to her past. And…who murdered Mr. Boland’s dog?