←Recommendations of Tracks (or, The People Who Live Here)

Dapper Dan might be used to "sweet and sour disappointment" but audiences won't be: there are definitely sweet moments and sour, caustic social commentary, in this gritty, realistic and yet magical story. A truly American tale on so many levels. Bravo.

A harrowing play. One witnesses the terrifying reason local myths exist. Bray expertly weaves in historical tales, while the origin story of a new myth unfolds in front of you. An impactful story, ladened with poetry, terror, haunting moments and characters with gut wrenching desires. An authentically expressed play that will surely leave an impact on audiences.

"I miss playing"
"I do, too. I mostly buy groceries."
So rarely do I come across a play that reads like high-quality lit-fic and also is fun, but John Patrick Bray did it, and I'm so glad he did. Bray takes folklore from upstate New York and blends it with a time capsule piece of being a teenager in the late 90s in the kind of town the tracks pass over. Tracks is a haunting character drama with magic realism and plenty of comic relief that will touch and devastate audiences for years to come.

John Patrick Bray has written a masterpiece, a play about lost youth, sanctuary, addiction, myths, and magic. I was alternately amused and then torn apart by Bray's gorgeous imagery and beautifully layered characters who are both tragic and real. This is a truly unforgettable piece of work.

The Hudson River Valley is the source of many American myths and legends, but it is also home to very real people. John Patrick Bray presents a dark reality of a group of young inhabitants who try to find solace in drugs as the world around them changes. And what will that world make of them? Will they become larger than life characters like Johnny Appleseed, or some nameless tragic figures? Beautifully written dialogue, highly theatrical staging, and characters that make you ache to protect them make TRACKS a play that will stay with you long after the reading/viewing.

This play is first and foremost a masterclass in scriptwriting. Exquisite dialogue. And then Bray elevates it further with a compelling story and complex characters, all of them young and struggling in a world that's too big and too fast for them. If you read this and aren't horrified by the idea that this could have been you in your youth, and that you managed to somehow push through against all odds, then you, pal, lived a charmed life. Tracks is brutal but necessary. Put this on stage!

The feelings we have when we're young are almost too much to bear. And sometimes the things that happen to us when we're young shouldn't be felt by anyone. These characters are doing their best to find magic in a world that is swiftly industrializing and crumbling at the same time. But myths and magic are distractions, and the darkness that hits these characters when they are trying hard not to feel is more painful than they could have imagined. This is a harsh, yet magical story. There are no answers. But this play is legendary.

A play like a slow moving train wreck that inexorably hurtles toward its conclusion - but on the way, like in any of our lives, there is humor, beauty, humanity (warts and all). TRACKS by John Patrick Bray captures the melancholy and fading hope of adolescence and the ache of small town people — kids, mostly — unable to stop the changes that will inevitably tear the lives they know apart. This is a moving, dark, and magical piece of work.

A haunting and haunted story that examines friendship, class, family, addiction, self-destruction, and local mythology. Ghosts travel through this play like the Hudson Valley region this play takes place in. Richly drawn characters, pitch-perfect dialogue, and imaginatively vivid stagecraft populate this moving story. A perfect play for young actors!

There is so much to unpack in this play! The Hudson River Valley itself becomes a character, profoundly influencing the plot and the people in it. I appreciated the balance of light-hearted moments, which complemented the deep reflections on life, love, and loss. Bray's use of magical realism enhances the theatrical experience, making it truly unique. I highly recommend this piece for its relatable characters, witty dialogue, and emotional journey, all beautifully tied together by the railroad theme. I'm so glad I heard it read because it truly comes alive even more than I could imagine.