Duet Pieces and Where to Find Them
Easy they say. Go find a piece of Duo. Oh, and have it found (and cut) within the week. They never mention loving the piece or finding work with merit, but it’s implied. You’re a coroner and putting on a quality performance in a week is commonplace. It is easy to find any part. It is difficult when you need to find one with the qualities mentioned above. Knowing where to locate resources can be one of the biggest impediments to finding the right material for you. Don’t let it! Between you and your Duo partner, the two of you should be able to come up with a dash quickly. You are two! As you search, keep these locations of interest registered in your brain when you think you’ve exhausted all sources of scripts; You might be surprised where you haven’t looked from!
* Team files. The duo is popular. So popular that most of the scripts your team has stockpiled could be meant for Duo. The first place you and your partner should look is the team files. Most of the team’s resources are well organized and have picks that were kept because they were meant to be used for competition. Try to find something that hasn’t been used in the previous year (so it’s “original” and something new).
* Library. Hit the stacks! Most duets are found in scripts and many libraries have a HUGE selection of scripts to peruse. The best incentives for taking a trip to the library include: everything you want is well labeled, items are stacked together, comfortable chairs, helpful librarians, and it’s free (apart from minimal copying costs)! Even if you choose not to look at the scripts, Duos can be any published source, and a library will offer you thousands of PUBLISHED titles. As long as you can operate the search function on the library computers, you will be able to find content to read.
* Bookstores (Physical or Internet). If you prefer to sip coffee and browse through selective stacks, then a bookstore is perfect for you. Your selection may be limited, but there is an advantage to removing “minor” posts (stocked items sell, therefore popular and worth reading). You are also in a more relaxed environment. If you search online, your reading options are greatly increased. Better still, not only can you narrow down your search results by selecting a genre and subsequent subcategories, but you also have the benefit of seeing what similar books match your search. This is great for learning new authors and titles that you might never have found otherwise. Take some possible titles/names and go to a physical store (or library!) and take a look at those texts.
* League results. Some leagues post the titles of the pieces with the names of those who featured prominently. Duet winners from the past prove that the piece can work, expertly played, giving you options for material that may no longer be used. The Illinois High School Association is one of the few leagues that lists titles.
* Ask Theater People and Teachers. Go to the theater director at your school and strike up a conversation about plays. Mention “Duo” or “Duo” in conversation with him, and if that theater manager is worth hiring, they should be able to give you a list of titles and authors to research. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to a knowledgeable English teacher or the resident teacher of the school’s acting class (if applicable). The acting teacher is obvious; English one less. Yes, you can read a play in English, but that doesn’t make an English teacher a drama teacher. However, some English teachers love drama, so you might get some clues. Finally, it is also worth talking to those involved in theater or Drama Club.
* Go online. Typing “duo pieces” or “best plays” into any search engine will lead you to websites with indexes and descriptions of plays. Search, use descriptive keywords, and take note of anything you want to place in a library to read. You can also search the history of an actor or writer to see the work they have done in the past. A new play (new to you) might catch your eye.
* You may use ANY published material. As stated by NFL Duos, they are “clippings from published print novels, short stories, plays, poetry, or any other published printed material.” Ergo, you don’t need to limit yourself to plays. If you feel inclined, you can perform one of Plato’s dialogues. You could use an interview for your text. As long as it’s in print, if you can use it as dialogue, you’ve found a piece.
* Think movies. Most of the movies were inspired by a play, novel, or short story. If there’s a movie you love, why not see if it’s based on print? Avoid anything too familiar, and keep in mind that you should use the published version, not the film adaptation.
With this listing, a Duo piece is something you won’t be looking for much longer. You’ll have to read and do some detective work, but at least the stress of being overwhelmed by not knowing where to start has been removed. Work in your Duo partnership and split up the research, find possibilities you think you’ll both like, and share the material to discuss and vote on. A ready-to-cut Duo script will be yours in no time!