←Recommendations of Joyland

JOYLAND is a smart and delightfully witty play by Karen Saari that deftly deals with AI, animatronics, and corporate culture. I had the pleasure of seeing this performed with Ludington Area Center for the Arts.

The layers of satire in this short play are provocative, especially as we become more and more reliant on AI and technology. It certainly reflects how strange the process of applying for jobs has become as well.

Teehee how clever! JOYLAND is a fun satire of themepark "family values." Both Loretta and Mackenzi are very fun characters. This play is an amazing opportunity for two actresses who can play off each other well.

Joyland pokes fun at the utterly ridiculous nature of interviewing for a certain famous mouse and I love it for that exact reason. The way technology is used in this piece by making the android the main conflict makes for great comedy. Whoever gets a hold of this script will have a blast in acting, designing, and directing.

I love everything about Joyland - the absolute gem it would be for actors and director, the sheer absurdity yet all-too-real aspects, the sly satire and commentary on family theme parks and their employee rules, and the twist at the end. Playwright Karen Saari has written a funny, biting, thought-provoking play about the ways we try to keep people in a box and turn them all into white bread. Read it and produce it!

Karen Saari has created a gem with JOYLAND. A humorous spin on the job interview process: a mom in need of a job and having to deal with a perky princess android interviewer to get it. Audiences of all ages will enjoy this short play.

A fantastic piece about the frightful corporate culture we're overtaken by. Well done!

A sly poke at American corporate culture, as typified by Disney but honestly pervasive across industries. An examination of the way motherhood and other conventionally "female" pursuits are denigrated and the way the concept of "family-friendly" is often UNfriendly to real families. Quick, witty dialogue offers a real treat to two performers, and Princess Mackenzi in particular presents a fun opportunity to balance human and android behaviors. A fine addition to any short play fest.

Did I love this play because I rebel against the Disney machine? Absolutely! A fun and sly takedown.