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Recommendations

Recommendations

  • Andy Boyd:
    21 Sep. 2023
    Light Switch is a profound and funny play that smashes stereotypes about autistic adults while also telling a great story. As an autistic playwright, I found reading this play very inspiring. Henry is a character who learns and grows throughout the show, but that growth is on his own terms, not in search for some neurotypical "normal." I also appreciated the ways this play depicts autism as a strength, particularly in Henry's single-mided devotion to scholarly study.
  • Judith Pratt:
    10 Aug. 2022
    I so rarely am delighted with a script--and Light Switch had me reading without pausing. Maybe because I love the same authors that the main character Henry does? (Except for Wuthering Heights...) No, it's just such a clear coming of age story--coming of age complicated by being gay, too smart, and having autism. I'm so glad this script has garnered such success.
  • Jackson Tucker-Meyer:
    22 May. 2022
    Euphoric, messy, confusing, frightening – these adjectives can apply to being in love, or being autistic in a neurotypical world, and Osmundsen evokes both experiences with warmth and clarity. Henry, the protagonist, is obsessed with the classics of nineteenth-century literature, and like those great novels, the romantic misadventures of this play's characters are depicted with a minimum of sentimentality and a wealth of empathy. Everyone in this play is yearning for something or someone they can't quite reach, but they never stop trying, and Osmundsen leaves the audience with the hope that someday, maybe, they just might succeed.
  • Brian James Polak:
    13 May. 2022
    With “Light Switch” Osmundsen has created one of the great central characters of contemporary theater in a beautifully written story existing at the intersection of neurodiversity and queerness. The play is a classic example of the specific being universal. What defines us as individuals differs in the details, yet we are all after the same things in life. Just like the main character Henry, we all seek love. I highly recommend this play for theaters with young ensembles and for people interested in sitting down to read a fantastic play that will entertain and move them.
  • Kyle Smith:
    25 Feb. 2022
    Light Switch is the play the Autistic community needs right now. Henry is a big R Romantic at heart, and in him, Osmundsen shines a light on what being Autistic is actually like. Henry is complicated, funny, loyal, loving, and stalwart in his beliefs, and through spending these 100 pages with him, I feel like I’ve grown accustomed to his charms. All I know is I’d want Henry as a friend!
  • Joshua H. Cohen:
    11 Aug. 2021
    I've known about the existence of this play for a long time, and I would like to apologize to myself for taking this long to read it. It is nothing short of marvelous, witty and heartfelt at the same time. I wish I had read it a long time ago. Fortunately for me, it is also, at its core, a play about forgiveness.
  • DC Cathro:
    22 Jul. 2021
    A beautiful window into a world that most of us can only imagine, “Light Switch” is playful, sexy, sad, and wondrous. The characters are rich and rounded, and the show is full of linguistic and visual joy. An amazing piece that draws you in and propels you toward a lovely and satisfying conclusion. Fantastic!
  • Keiko Green:
    11 Jul. 2021
    A beautiful piece that moves swiftly through space and time, inviting me into a world I didn't want to leave. It's funny and moving. Looking forward to seeing this on stage :)
  • Asher Wyndham:
    22 May. 2021
    This play is one of a kind in queer theatre, groundbreaking possibly and inspiring definitely for future playwrights that want to explore the intersection of neurodiversity and gay identities. The playwright has created an unforgettable protagonist that opened my eyes to a difference I don't see much of on and off stage, and in the end someone I can relate to. Sexy, silly and serious -- this play will win over your audience.
  • Playwrights Foundation:
    3 May. 2021
    Playwrights Foundation highly recommends LIGHT SWITCH, which excelled to the Finalist round (top 35) for the 44th annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival out of 755 plays. Our community of readers felt this play best represented the mission of our festival. This work engaged us, inspired us, moved us, and was an outstanding example of transformative storytelling. Our local Bay Area Literary Council commends LIGHT SWITCH as a compelling, relevant cathartic new work which should be produced now. Congratulations! #BAPF2021

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