The Vow of Silence

The Vow of Silence

A One-Act Play Inspired by the Silent Sentinels
By Joe Ferriero

In January 1917, a group of women stood silently at the gates of the White House and changed the course of American history.

The Vow of Silence is a powerful, stylized one-act drama inspired by the real women known as the Silent Sentinels, suffragists who protested without words in the final years before the passage of the 19th Amendment. Through heightened language, ensemble-driven movement, and an immersive soundscape created entirely by the actors, the play explores silence not as absence, but as resistance.

The story centers on four historical figures. Alice Paul, the uncompromising strategist of the movement. Lucy Burns, her relentless and witty partner in defiance. Doris Stevens, a young recruit caught between fear and conviction. Carrie Chapman Catt, representing the established suffrage leadership and the belief in gradual reform. As the women prepare for protest, ideological fractures deepen, public pressure mounts, and the cost of dissent becomes terrifyingly real.

Rather than strict realism, The Vow of Silence employs abstract staging and symbolic design. The ensemble functions as the voice of the public, the machinery of government, and the physical environment itself. Sound, breath, stillness, and synchronized movement drive the action, allowing productions to scale the cast size while maintaining narrative focus. Optional expansion ideas are included for larger ensembles, festivals, or programs seeking deeper historical exploration.

The play culminates in a haunting memorial that names the women who were arrested, imprisoned, and brutalized for standing in silence. It invites audiences to consider the price of democratic progress and the power of collective resolve.

Bold, physical, and emotionally resonant, The Vow of Silence is ideal for advanced middle school, high school, collegiate, and community theatre programs seeking a historically grounded work with strong ensemble opportunities and meaningful social impact.

Running Time: Approximately 45–55 minutes
Cast Size: Flexible ensemble, 11–20+
Genre: Historical Drama, Stylized Ensemble Theatre
Production Notes: Minimal set, abstract design, ensemble-created soundscape