←Recommendations of Recess

A sweet, touching, bite-sized character study wrapped in a game of house at recess.

This play is technically sound with full characters and excellent dialogue, but that’s not the reason for my recommendation. It’s the pure hopeful joy that bubbles to the surface. We can be better than our upbringing and just need people who see that it’s possible.

Georgina insists that playing house will help her and Lucas prepare for adulthood, but it is also a way for Lucas to work through his feelings of less than perfect role-models and imagine a better future. Krantz' poetic sense captures the imagination of childhood as Georgina and Lucas imagine what colors to paint their rooms and appliances and what their dinners will taste like, as their adult selves reflect on what that play meant to them.

I produced an audio play version of this script on the podcast Gather by the Ghost Light (https://www.podpage.com/gather-by-the-ghost-light/ep-46-recess-by-kara-…). Kara has such a charming way with words and the playful innocence of the two characters as children will tug on your heart. But what I love the most is that Kara also give us flash forward moments that fill us in on the journey that lies ahead for these characters. Love love love! Perfect play for any short play fest!

I love this script's playful dialogue and the way it highlights a relationship between two children. The use of child actors really enhanced the production I heard on the GATHER BY THE GHOST LIGHT podcast!

I have just listened to a wonderful recording of this play on Gather by the Ghost Light podcast. It's such a sweet story of childhood innocence and how they perceive adult life. The flashes forward were a nice touch too, it gives the audience a glimpse into their futures. It is a very nice short play which will give a great opportunity to two young actors.

This short is so sweet! Two 2nd graders play house at recess. One has a great home life and a clear vision of what that entails. The other doesn’t and struggles to yes-and her as they play. I enjoyed the enthusiasm they had for the weirdest things, and the flash-forward moments added poignancy. Very clever!

LOVED IT! Absolutely adorable and so so so heartwarming.

I have my students read this lovely 10-minute play in my playwriting class. The characters and style are fun, the flow of the story is superb, and the play's end will certainly pull on your heartstrings. Well worth the read, and well worth producing.

Words cannot express my love for this piece. Krantz has mastered the art of balancing humor with depth, pairing poignant stories with quirky characters, and exploring real and meaningful subject matters in bite-sized pieces. RECESS leaves the audience simultaneously laughing, feeling, and processing the complexities of intergenerational trauma and the relationships we form. As a fairly new director, this piece offers just enough to work with for blocking, and plenty of character development to dig into. RECESS is a MUST for any ten-minute play festival.