The Wolves (play)

The Wolves is a 2016 play by Sarah DeLappe. It premiered at The Duke at 42nd Street, in September 2016 and centers on the experiences of high school girls through their daily afternoon soccer warmups.

It received the American Playwriting Foundation’s inaugural Relentless Award,^[1][2][3][4] the 2017 Obie Award for Ensemble work presented by the American Theatre Wing,^[5] and was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Synopsis

“The Wolves” is set in an indoor soccer facility. Each scene depicts the nine teenage girls that make up the Wolves, a soccer team, warming up before their game each week.

The first scene opens with discussion of a Cambodian murderer, and conversations stem from there. Overlapping dialogue illustrates an atmosphere where each group of girls have their own, specific conversations while still chiming in on the main topic. These spin-offs include period gossip, talk of boyfriends, their coach’s obvious hangover, and speculations about the new girl, who is said to live in a “yogurt.”

In every scene, the girls are going through a stretching routine led by #25, the team captain. This is one of the only repetitive actions, besides #7’s constant use of the word “fuck.” The girls sometimes continue their gossip from the previous week, bringing new drama and topics of conversation. Deeper secrets are revealed, like a terminated pregnancy and apparent anxiety disorder. The new girl slowly begins to fit in and most girls seem to grow more comfortable with each other as the season progresses.

A ski trip taken by #7 and #14 before the second-to-last game leaves the team suffering from injuries and internal drama. The teams leading striker is suffering a season-ending injury, which forces the new girl to step up. She excels, and is even scouted while her predecessor watches enviously from the sideline. #7 and #14 bring their ski trip squabble back to the field as well. #14 expresses her anger towards her friend about her neglect during the trip and being left with a strange boy. They fight, and end the day on a terrible note.

Tragedy strikes before the final game, leaving one member of the team unable to attend. The others are grieving, but are still adamant about finishing out their season. With a possible forfeit looming, it feels as though the Wolves’ season will end on the lowest possible note.

Production history

The play was originally produced in 2016 at The Duke on 42nd Street by The Playwrights Realm in association with New York Stage & Film and Vassar’s Powerhouse Theatre season. It subsequently returned to the Off-Broadway venue with additional support from commercial producers Scott Rudin and Eli Bush. The production is scheduled to transfer to Lincoln Center Theater’s Mitzi Newhouse Theater in November 2017, with an official opening set for November 20.

Characters and original cast

References