A Complicated Hope

by John Mabey

FULL LENGTH PLAY: Marie and daughter Rose Marie are left adrift after their husband/father, Michael, passes away, leaving behind boyfriend Arnie to discover a family of his own.

Mirroring the erratic path of grief, A Complicated Hope flashes between the moments in time that changed them all. Their journeys explore the challenges of both finding a family of choice and letting yourself be found.

HONORS
*...

FULL LENGTH PLAY: Marie and daughter Rose Marie are left adrift after their husband/father, Michael, passes away, leaving behind boyfriend Arnie to discover a family of his own.

Mirroring the erratic path of grief, A Complicated Hope flashes between the moments in time that changed them all. Their journeys explore the challenges of both finding a family of choice and letting yourself be found.

HONORS
* PANOWSKI PLAYWRITING AWARD - 2021
* CHARLES M. GETCHELL NEW PLAY AWARD - 2022
* ESSENTIAL THEATRE PLAYWRITING AWARD – 2022
* SMITH & KRAUS BEST WOMEN'S MONOLOGUES - 2023

Available through Dramatic Publishing:
https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/a-complicated-hope

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A Complicated Hope

Recommended by

  • Matt Hoffman: A Complicated Hope

    I saw this beautiful play during its 2022 run at Essential Theatre. It's a moving experience, drawing us into an exquisitely twisting-turning-tangling cat's cradle of love and grief. John creates so many moments of complicated tension and tenderness between characters. The nonlinear structure conjures grief's associative, out-of-time collage of emotion and memory, and also finally provides the complicated hope the audience yearns for.

    I saw this beautiful play during its 2022 run at Essential Theatre. It's a moving experience, drawing us into an exquisitely twisting-turning-tangling cat's cradle of love and grief. John creates so many moments of complicated tension and tenderness between characters. The nonlinear structure conjures grief's associative, out-of-time collage of emotion and memory, and also finally provides the complicated hope the audience yearns for.

  • Nora Louise Syran: A Complicated Hope

    A lovely, moving piece painted with the delicate, deft hand of playwright John Mabey. "Glimmers of hope in the hogwash" captures this play beautifully--raw and real and yet lyrical. Understanding, compassionate. Mabey loves his characters: you will too.

    A lovely, moving piece painted with the delicate, deft hand of playwright John Mabey. "Glimmers of hope in the hogwash" captures this play beautifully--raw and real and yet lyrical. Understanding, compassionate. Mabey loves his characters: you will too.

  • Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn: A Complicated Hope

    This play is like a beautiful painting. "Sunrise on the water." There is so much depth to it, the more you look at it, the more you discover. And the more you learn about yourself. I can see exactly why this won so many awards. I can actually hear the words out loud in my head. Engaging, heartbreaking...and yet, as intended, with a ray of hope.

    This play is like a beautiful painting. "Sunrise on the water." There is so much depth to it, the more you look at it, the more you discover. And the more you learn about yourself. I can see exactly why this won so many awards. I can actually hear the words out loud in my head. Engaging, heartbreaking...and yet, as intended, with a ray of hope.

View all 20 recommendations

Character Information

  • Arnie
    Character Age
    40s/50s
  • Rose Marie
    Character Age
    Early 20s
  • Marie
    Character Age
    40s/50s

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Kentwood Players, CA, Year 2022
  • Type Reading, Organization Fulton Theatre, PA, Year 2022
  • Type Reading, Organization Southeastern Theatre Conference, Year 2022
  • Type Workshop, Organization Northern Michigan University, MI, Year 2021

Production History

  • Type Community Theater, Organization Essential Theatre, Year 2022
  • Type Community Theater, Organization The Left Hand Productions, Year 2022
  • Type University, Organization Northern Michigan University, Year 2022

Awards

  • Festival of New Works Selection: Stories of Diversity
    Fulton Theatre
    Selection
    2022
  • Winner
    Essential Theatre Playwriting Award
    2022
  • Charles M. Getchell New Play Award
    Southeastern Theatre Conference
    Winner
    2022
  • Panowski Playwriting Award
    Northern Michigan University
    Winner
    2021
  • Finalist
    Stay True Theatre Company
    2021