Fat GirlA SENIOR PROJECT BY

HAILEY HANCE

Mission Statement

For my senior project, I will be writing a one act that revolves around the experiences of plus-size women in society, and more specifically in the entertainment industry.

Fat Girl follows three roommates that are aspiring actresses, two of whom are plus-sized.

The main character, Amy, encounters fatphobia in an audition in a way that causes her to self-destruct, becoming hyper-aware of her body and how others perceive her.

She develops an eating disorder, in which her roommates Nadine and Jess, catch her purging and try to convince her to get help.

The play ends with a found poem from the interviews I’ve held with women in my life that have revolved around their experiences with body image.

This play’s purpose is to not only create more serious roles for plus-size women, but to also discuss the realities of being a “fat girl” in modern society.

In an industry that already scrutinizes everything about your appearance, the pressure to fit into a certain image is overwhelming. I’d like to discuss what this pressure can do to women and how far they might go in order to feel accepted.

Inspirations

Personal struggles with both my weight and body image I’ve struggled with eating disorders, body

dysmorphia, and fatphobia in ways that have greatly impacted my mental and physical health

In the past couple years, I’ve particularly noticed that there aren’t very many opportunities for plus-size women in theatre, and when there is, the characters are usually used as the butt of the joke when referring to their weight

I strived for an opportunity to play a plus-size woman in a serious way regarding her body

If I couldn’t get cast in a production that did this, I would write a piece myself

French minor/French culture Being a French minor, French culture has

always fascinated me French beauty standards have dictated

fashion for decades This has impacted beauty standards

worldwide

Interviews

Personal interviews with six women in my life Discussion of experiences with body image,

body dysmorphia, eating disorders, etc.

These interviews were used to give myself a fuller picture of women’s experiences and inspiration for my characters

Quotes from these interviews were used to create a found poem that is performed at the end of the play

Sample questions What societal standards have influenced your

self-image the most?

What has your relationship with food been like?

Do you have a common body type in your family?

Excerpts: Interview Notes• Found herself feeling gratified

bc could eat whatever you want and didn’t have to worry about it

• Has a history w self-harm• Only felt bad if she didn’t

purge• Used it as anti-anxiety

surrounding food• Friends always

commented on how much she ate

• Wouldn’t actually eat a lot but still had this idea she was the big eater of the friend group

• Would feel bad keeping it in my body

• Was in cross country to lose weight

• Loves to run still• Felt huge• “Everyone here is looking at me and thinking that I’m fat”

• The other girls treated her differently

• Felt inadequate on the team for mile time

• Cut 11 minutes from her mile time

• Thinnest she’d ever been: 130 lbs (shorter)

• Felt good• Full blown eating disorder

• Eating nothing and running 8 miles/day

• Body image/how view yourself• Can’t remember a time

when i didn’t think that ilooked big

• Felt different than other people

• Seen others, compared self, and felt bigger (even if not overweight)

• Always noticed whole life (like 9) she could go to the gym 5x a week and eat generally well and have the body that she has,

• while other people can that has a stereotypical hot bod and they never went to the gym and ate like crap all the time

Excerpts: Script

JESS: How was your audition?

AMY: It was fine. You know how it goes. Expect the worst, hope for the best.

NADINE: That bad, huh?

AMY: (takes a couch pillow and screams into it)

NADINE: Heard that.

JESS: You okay?

NADINE: What happened?

AMY: I did it. I finally snapped. Every time I go in for an audition, I always get hit with the fat best friend character, and I want to do something more. So when he told me to read for yet another reiteration of the same boring stereotype, I asked to read for the lead.

NADINE: And I take it they didn’t love that?

AMY: Yeah, probably not. He told me I couldn’t read for the lead because they had a “certain image in mind” for her and how there was a line that talked about how skinny she was.

NADINE: Okay so? It’s a new work. Cut the line.

AMY: Exactly! I mean, can you imagine if it were reversed? How many times have we seen thin girls play fat characters even when they’re explicitly stated as fat??

NADINE: Too many.

Excerpts: Script

(NADINE and JESS exit. AMY exits to her room and re-enters with her towel in only her bra and underwear. As she walks to the bathroom, she stops at a mirror on the wall and starts looking at herself. She starts off touching her face, checking for blemishes, but slowly starts examining her whole body. She rubs her hands over her stomach, arms, hips, etc pulling at the fat on her body and trying to make herself look thinner. She sees herself in the mirror and does not like what she sees. Finally, she decides she’s stood there long enough and goes to take her shower. Moments after the bathroom door shuts, we hear gagging sounds. Blackout.)

Excerpts: Script

AMY: I just want to be pretty.

JESS: You are pretty.

AMY: No, I’m not. I’m fucking disgusting. Everyday, I look in the mirror, and I see everything that’s wrong with me. All the fat and stretch marks and scars. I don’t know how anyone could ever possibly find me attractive.

JESS: So, it’s true then? You’re making yourself throw up.

AMY: Yes.

NADINE: Why?

AMY: Because it feels like nothing else will work! I try to stay active and be more conscious of what I eat, but it just never seems to be enough. And I see these other skinny ass girls who just eat whatever they want and they’re twigs and it makes me so mad and I just think “Why do they get it so easy? Why don’t they get to be miserable?” I mean, everyone in my family is overweight. We all have that same fucking fat gene. So, sometimes, when I’ve eaten and I feel like the cow I am, I go throw up. Because maybe one day, I’ll be skinny and then I’ll be pretty too.

Excerpts: Poem

Well, go to the gym.It’s not just that.I can work out at the gym as much as you wantAnd I am not going to look like this other person.We have very different bodies.I am not built that way.My body is different.Her body is different.Why am I being made to feel this way?

Everyone felt the need to comment on my weightYou look good, have you lost weight?I definitely have not lost weight since the last time I saw you.They had to talk about my weight lossThey had to say how great I lookedOh my god you look happierYou look healthierYou look more yourselfHer daughter felt the need to commentThat I didn’t look like I’d ever had a piece of cheesecake in my lifeWhy do you need to say that to me?What do you mean?What do I look like to you?What I wanted to say wasHow dare you feel like you need to comment on my bodyHow dare you??

Design Elements

Scenic DesignYoung girls’ apartment

General living room furniture (couch, end

table, chair, etc)Kitchen area

(counter, table and chairs)

Self-tape corner

LightingSpotlight on Amy

(Scene 1)

Typical home lighting/Lamps

(Scenes 2-5)

Conceptual lighting (Poem)

SoundScene Transitions:

“Body Love” by Mary Lambert

Flushing sound effect

Water faucet sound effect

CostumeCasual street clothes

“Audition outfits”

Bra and underwear –Amy’s mirror scene

Rehearsal ProcessCast:

• Amy – Hailey Hance• Nadine – Julia Makarsky• Jess – Abigail Jensen• Director – Matthew Walter

Production:

First readthrough and rehearsal with three main characters

• Full rehearsal schedule with assigned tasks

• Co-Director – Hailey Hance• Co- Director – Chloe Jewell• Lighting/Sound – Lillian Hilmes

Rehearsal Process

Social Media

Social Media is a huge part of our culture and an invaluable marketing tool

Fat Girl Facebook page - @fatgirlplay

Events, updates, contact, promotion of performances

Links to resources

Future Plans

Produce the show!Student work opportunitiesLocal venuesDonations for Project HEAL

Submit to the New Play Exchange Network

Submit to new play competitions

Self-publish through Kindle Direct Publishing

THANK YOU!