←Recommendations of Saga

Marvelously theatrical and witty, Cohen has tapped directly into the confusion and existential agonies of millennial feminism. References to 90s- and early 2000s-culture abound, but there are enough questions about lived experiences to reach - and amuse - any audience; particularly: what does it mean to be 'strong?' What has modernity lost in redefining concepts of adventure and womanhood? And what do we owe to the world, anyway?

I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. This play checks off all my boxes: original premise, sharp dialogue, interesting characters, high theatricality, and Buffy references. I appreciated the questions this play brought up around expectations of women and what it means to be "strong and independent." Please produce so I can watch it again!

What happens when the young hero is chosen to be bestowed with great powers and tasked with saving the world, but she’s more concerned with being captain of the debate team and getting into Smith? A highly original back-and-forth between Veleda, the mud-covered Lady of the Lake, and Edda, the aforementioned teenaged (potential) hero. Cohen’s dialogue is a witty juxtaposition between quasi-Norse god pontification, and teen-culture, text-speak. This play is flat-out hilarious as it places the audience squarely in “What would you do?” territory. The conclusion is particularly satisfying in its open-endedness. Much fun for actors and audience.

Mr. Cohen, I suspect, must be a fan of Wagner's "Ring Cycle," for his chosen poetic method - what Wagner called Stabreim while we would just say alliteration - is the perfect paradigm to portray the pompous portentousness of the play between the protagonist and the prophetic princess. The radical shift in voices within the character Veleda herself, and the contrasts with the girl Edda (also a Norse mythological name), all contribute to the fun Cohen achieves with conventions of language, myth, and the nature of womanhood.

Cohen does it again! He doesn't disappoint!
This play appeals to this superhero in each of us.
It's marvelous, funny, intelligent.
A perfect play for two actresses that want to show off their skills with comedy.
If you're producing a comedy showcase, check this out!

I'm a sucker for whip-smart satire, and this had me from "go" at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference. A teen girl hoping to get into Smith College, an ancient warrior princess looking for her successor, a muck-encrusted sword at the bottom of a Swedish lake, and the promise of super powers (and help with the college application) -- all these wonderfully disparate elements combine in Joshua Cohen's hands and become a laugh-out-loud romp through millennial angst, contemporary society...and beyond. Wonderful!

I read this play when it was submitted for the Midwest Dramatist Conference and absolutely loved it! Who wouldn't want to spend ten minutes with smartly written, sword-wielding women debating over the fate of the entire world? This is a fun piece to perform and would make a great addition to any play festival seeking dynamic female-driven stories!

This was by far the funniest thing I saw at the 2019 MDC conference. Just one great line after another. The writing shows a tremendous range, as Cohen accurately portrays and ancient warrior-goddess and a millennial teen. The contrast between the two is simply priceless. Perfect for any audience, Saga is a guaranteed good time!

What happens when mythology and millennials meet? Hilarity, for one thing, and in the deft hands of Joshua H. Cohen, it's a fun romp through legend and cultural references. I loved the humor and the generous spirit of this play, heard at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference. All I needed was popcorn.

What a romp! Cohen has written two complex women with strong, important desires. The depth and subtlety of the language is so fun, and the characters feel very real despite the fact that they're talking about leading a zombie army. I saw a reading at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference, and it was clear that the actors enjoyed leaning into these characters' strong wants and needs. Dig into it yourself!