This is my first encounter with John Busser’s work. His play, Waiting on Mom, Who Already Left is a heartfelt and humorous look at siblings navigating loss. The sharp, natural dialogue captures the tension and love between Jackie and Scott, blending comedy with poignant truths about grief. It’s a relatable and touching piece that feels complete yet leaves you eager for more. I look forward to more work by this excellent dramatist.

Jackie takes charge, Scott handles the stuff on the sidelines. Neither is wrong, and they're absolutely not alone.
Busser, a maestro of plays of any length, does an outstanding job showing the comedic-mundane realities that come during the grieving process, and the ways we can use them to find solace. Indeed, these can be the moments when humanity shines the most. WAITING ON MOM, WHO ALREADY LEFT (great title!) is hilarious. It's also REAL, which is the bigger accomplishment.

How does a control freak handle grief? By trying to exert her agency on every detail in the aftermath of loss, of course! This is an honest and cathartic character-driven play about authentically drawn siblings who handle responsibility very differently. A silly anecdote (and the subsequent response to it) reveal so much about these characters and what they really need to persist and find fulfillment after this major loss. Both funny and moving, this would be a gift for actors and audiences!