←Recommendations of ELEVATOR GIRL

Elevator Girl's arrival, amidst the string of Marvel/DC blockbuster films and shows dominating our movie theaters and living room binge-fests, is perfectly timed. Hoke's story provokes important discussions we should all be having about consent, and the consequences when it is ignored. She has constructed a giant sandbox for graphic artists, costume, sound, scenic and lighting designers to play in. With just three characters it's small in scale... but certainly packs a wallop.

It is the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's pleasure to recommend Donna Hoke and their play Elevator Girl as a finalist for our 2017 National Playwrights Conference. The play rose through a competitive, anonymous, multileveled selection process that took nearly nine months to execute. As one of 55 finalists out of more than 1,300 submissions, the strength of its writing has allowed this work to prosper in such a competitive selection process. Our readers responded to the play’s sharply imagined world and its use of comedic and comic book genres to explore difficult contemporary issues.

"Elevator Girl" caught me by surprise. Not because of his heavy theme, but because of the clever way it approaches it without relying on big surprises or fall down the hole of cliches topical plays like to use. Instead, Donna gives us a joy ride of a story that albeit sometimes uncomfortable, never stops entertaining. And the uncomfortable feeling? It's the kind that good work gives you.

Donna Hoke has created a very smart, fast-paced, funny play that will certainly add to the conversation about our current rape culture. More than that, the play lands with me by sincerely addressing the significant real life problems involved (that I can't disclose or I would spoil it) grounding this fantastic play in female reality that takes the male characters some time to discover and understand. Filled with great visuals and design elements that deepen the dramatic metaphor!

AN O'NEILL FINALIST! Already one of this country's most exciting emergent playwrights, Donna Hoke takes a major step in a newer direction, expanding her repertoire into spectacle and a more pliable realism, where colorful superheroes can frolic around problematic topics in an uncouth graphic literature world while their creators and readers combat around those same issues IRL, with far greater difficulty (and higher stakes). This is a particularly timely play; Donna continues to demand the attention of America's literary departments, producers, and audiences!

A fascinating, well-written approach to an uncomfortable, important topic. Strong, multi-dimensional characters, particularly Vanessa. I especially like the scene where Vanessa communicates only in knocks with the apparently "real" Elevator Girl. Richard and Peter are also fully-realized, each displaying dimensions of sympathetic and pathetic. Will launch discussions about rape culture and objectification that should be taking place. Sure to be a conversation starter.