Plays & Writings
Carol Hall’s creative voice extended far beyond songwriting and musicals into the world of playwriting and prose. At the center of her work for the stage is The Days Are as Grass, a collection of one-act plays exploring love, aging, family, and the everyday search for meaning.
In addition to her plays, Carol contributed written pieces to anthologies, essays, and other published works that reflect her curiosity, humor, and deep empathy for the human experience. This section of the site brings together her playwriting and other writings, offering a look at another dimension of her artistry—her ability to craft character, voice, and narrative on the page as well as in song.
These eight short (non-musical) plays were initially written to be performed as a tour de force by a single pair of actors, but they can also be done by three or four or more actors. The plays can be done as separate one-acts as well. Taken together, the plays run approximately 90 minutes and feature more than a dozen characters ranging in age from 40 to 85, exploring the fragility of hope, memory, old friends, lost loves, and the inevitability of time. The tone is always a blend of the funny and the touching, as the characters march bravely into that last colorful sunset, still fully engaged by life’s changes, love’s quirks, and the surprises of age.
The Days Are As Grass
Vacation
Last Will and Testament
Life Time
Sensations
The River Jordan Lamp
Jack & Jill
The Last Word
The Days Are as Grass
The short plays are written to be performed as a single evening. They include:
"Vacation" - A married couple enjoying a relaxing weekend, become obsessed with a couple traveling nearby who are clearly having an illicit affair. This play has also been published by Narrative Magazine.
"Last Will and Testament" - A well meaning socialite tries to write her will, so that after her death all her friends and loved ones can receive a “small memento,” but she finds that “details of your own mortality can be exhausting. And I’m sure death is no picnic either.”
"Life Time" - A couple has been together so long they barely need words to express themselves. “Memory loss is the best thing that ever happened to me. Saves time. Saves effort.”
"Sensations" - A bickering couple sit in twin rockers in matching robes and slippers and wait for the pills they’ve secretly saved up to take effect and end their lives — but did they do it correctly? And if not, whose fault is that, anyway?
"The River Jordan Lamp" - A woman living alone in a trailer park makes an unusual connection with a young migrant worker — and eventually sees the light, or the absence of one, as she pays for what she calls her “sin of the flesh.”
"Jack and Jill" - A brother and sister in their mid-forties, hilariously try to come to terms with the idea of their divorced parents getting back together after 35 years.
"The Days Are as Grass" (title piece) - A younger man and older woman have an argument about what happened to their affair, while literary quotes still appear to bind them affectionately.
"The Last Word" - A husband chatters away as he pushes the wheelchair of his mute and paralyzed wife, while we are able to hear everything she’s thinking.
Children’s Books
Carol Hall also brought her storytelling talents to children’s literature. She wrote Super-Vroomer, a playful tale celebrating imagination and adventure, and co-authored I Been There with Northern J. Calloway, known for his work on Sesame Street. Both books reflect her warmth, humor, and gift for connecting with young audiences, extending the same creative spirit that made her songs beloved across generations.
I Been There (Northern J. Calloway; Doubleday & Co, 1978)
In collaboration with actor and Sesame Street performer Northern J. Calloway, Carol Hall co-wrote I Been There, a vibrant book for children that emphasizes shared experiences and the power of connection. With rhythmic, musical language and an uplifting message, the book reflects Hall’s deep commitment to inspiring and delighting young readers.
Super-Vroomer (Northern J. Calloway; Doubleday & Co. 1977)
Carol Hall’s Super-Vroomer is a lively, imaginative story that celebrates the boundless creativity of childhood. Written with her characteristic warmth and humor, the book captures the joy of play and adventure, extending the spirit of her music into the world of children’s literature.
Articles
What Song Do You Admire, But Did Not Write: The Musical Theatre Issue
(The Dramatist, May/June 2013)
Duologue: Mills & Hall - Carol interviews Peter Mills for The Dramatist
"The Playwright & The Journalist"
(The Dramatist, May, 2000)
"Writing for Children"
(The Dramatist)
"So Many People To Thank"
(The Dramatist, June, ’94)
(Dallas Morning News – “Broadway Flop Inspires Thank Yous, Too” June, ’94)
