←Recommendations of An Alt-Masc Comedy

What starts off as a seemingly straightforward camp-fest (double puns not intended), reveals an incredibly tender and heartfelt story of four teenagers searching for their place in the world. Bavoso uses his incredible skills at creating witty dialogue, outlandish situations, and larger-than-life characters to lovingly crack the questions of gender and sexual identity.

What a clever, sharp, funny, and insightful exploration of masculinity and identity in general! Bavoso has created a hilarious, well-defined, and nuanced collection of characters with distinctive voices and perspectives. In utilizing the heightened emotions of adolescents, he so cleverly and openly comments upon the ways we define, limit, and internalize masculinity and gender identity later in life. The dramatic Mikey provides much material for laughter both in his interactions with his campmates as well as through the play-within-a-play conceit that works so effectively here. This would be a valuable play for everyone to see/do/discuss. Great teen roles!

Camp Mannuppia, like all of John's plays, is a great concept full of clever turns and witty humor. The play-within-a-play structure is just plain fun and especially allows the campers' personalities and relationships to shine and introducing two campers actually interested in masculinity camp allows us to dive into gender presentation, roles, and stereotypes in a more nuanced and complete way. As a playwright John continues to explore complex and often difficult topics with joy and humor. I know I'll always have a laugh, an "awww," and something to discuss afterwards.

Simply marvelous! The dialogue is consistently witty and the satire sharp. The conceit of the play-within-the-play adds another comic layer that would likely allow all sorts of humorous improvisations in a staged version. At heart it has some real and timely messages about gender identity stereotypes and the traps they are for everyone, both those who embrace them and those who resist. Also a sweet story about how difficult it is to discover who you really are when you’re growing up. I imagine a staged version would be screamingly funny.

With characters that are full of heart and dialogue that made me smile and laugh and go "awwwww" throughout, Bavoso's tender new play explores the realm of development I see in my own child's Middle School world, a kind of hardening off, a masking, of true feelings and self-expression in boys. It's tragic, really, the masculinization of "manhood", and this lovely fantasia serves as an antidote. There's a forest of Arden vibe — and like in "As You Like It" — real world grief, fear and pain are never far away. This thought-provoking, clever piece will go far.

What fun! Bavoso makes some serious points about masculinity, toxic and otherwise, while all the while retaining a light-hearted approach that is both endearing and hilarious. For an early draft, it's in remarkably good shape, and will no doubt be a real audience pleaser when produced.