PARANORMAL LOVE by Jennifer O'Grady

MTWorks Newborn Award / NEWvember Finalist/ Panndora's Box Honorable Mention, other honors

(Full length) Kevin and David were a loving couple, but now Kevin is dead and stuck in a boring afterlife with little to do but eat popcorn and watch the living. When David decides to marry Lila, a woman, Kevin seizes the chance to wrap up unfinished business--making sure David is happy, and reuniting...
MTWorks Newborn Award / NEWvember Finalist/ Panndora's Box Honorable Mention, other honors

(Full length) Kevin and David were a loving couple, but now Kevin is dead and stuck in a boring afterlife with little to do but eat popcorn and watch the living. When David decides to marry Lila, a woman, Kevin seizes the chance to wrap up unfinished business--making sure David is happy, and reuniting two living friends now mysteriously estranged--which Kevin attempts with the aid of two reluctant dead friends, until things begin to go wrong. A dark comedy about love, loss and the power of memory. (Play 1 in The Ghost Trilogy of standalone plays)
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PARANORMAL LOVE

Recommended by

  • Christopher Soucy:
    7 Dec. 2023
    “ Sublime. Simply sublime. I am a fan of all things paranormal and this dynamic play delivers with such heart and humor. These characters deserve their time on stage and Jennifer O'Grady deserves praise for bringing them to life. And by life, I mean full, well-rounded characters that exude life. I enjoyed this read immensely and could easily see it onstage in my mind's eye. If it finds its way to the stage soon, I will do my best to find my way to a seat in the audience. ”
  • Nick Malakhow:
    15 Mar. 2021
    “ I found this romantic comedy to be a wonderful mix of wistful and charming. This exploration of grief and death and moving on is nuanced and subtle. O'Grady utilizes paranormal reality and ghosts as a lovely way to explore what is left behind when our life partners die (or move on in other ways), what we take from them, and how we rearrange and recalibrate our realities in their wake. ”
  • Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn:
    30 Oct. 2020
    “ Love never dies, it just becomes...otherworldly. In this play, we see a ghost help his friends find love, but also help his former lover move on to new love. As David eloquently tells his new bride "there will always be a place for him inside my mind, but it’s a safe place, with a door on it. Sometimes I might open the door and look at a nice memory, but I’ll always close it again. Do you know why? Because you’re here." A beautiful tale of love and loss. ”
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Character Information

2W, 5M. Characters range from early 20s to mid-30s.

  • Kevin
    Early 30s
    A ghost. Formerly, a photographer.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Joe
    Mid-30s
    A photographer. Owns a camera shop.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • David
    30
    A journalist.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Deedee
    Mid-30s
    A psychic. Heads a paranormal research team.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Craig
    Early-mid 30s.
    A ghost. A drag queen.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Waldo
    20s.,
    Latinx
    A ghost.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Lila
    Late 20s.
    David's fiancée. A public relations exec.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Manhattan Theatre Works Newborn Festival of New Plays
  • Reading
    ,
    Wild Rumpus Productions

Awards

Semi-Finalist
,
The Depot New Play Readings
,
2022
Semi-Finalist
,
Southwest Theatre Productions New Play Contest
,
2020
Honorable Mention
,
Panndora's Box New Works Festival
,
Panndora Productions
,
2019
Finalist
,
NEWvember New Play Festival
Winner
,
National Newborn Festival of New Plays