←Recommendations of Cassie Strickland Is Not Under the Bed

Absolutely brilliant! This play takes the classic elements of the horror genre - guilt, past trauma, paranoia - presents them beautifully, ratchets up the tension steadily - and then gives us one of the best jump scares I've read in a long, long while!

The problem with being paranoid is no one believes you when someone’s actually out to get you. Fortunately, that same doubt provides tremendous fuel for suspense! Gatton draws us in and keeps us guessing as protagonist Clay is beset by a perfect storm of guilt, PTSD, dread, and terror. The phone call that comprises most of the play is literally a lifeline for him. On the other end, friend Howie’s calm rationality grounds the play in an uncertain reality. Tense, spooky, and psychologically complex, it’ll keep you, like Clay, on the edge of your bed!

Creepy, with a slow burn like a lit fuse. Visual and active, engaging in both the business and the release of information, hooking the reader early and not letting go until the fuse reaches its final destination… Plus a good moral that makes a statement on a hotbed issue of the day. Excellent.

I love this piece. It deals with so many topics and does so amazingly well. The character Clay is so interesting and compelling, that it makes his journey so captivating until the very end when the scare finally comes. Brilliant work by Gatton! I can’t wait to dive into more of his work.

I have been meaning to read more of Vince Gatton's plays related to (the fabulous!) "You Have Earned Bonus Stars," and I'm not sure what's taken me so long. It's hard to write a truly suspenseful play that's only 10 minutes long, but this sure is one. Wow. It's terrific.

Genre plays are tricky to pull off in the theatre, but this play soars. Grounding real world tragedy with the childhood horrors of things under the bed, this play balances both with an intensity that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Wow. This play is an incredible suspense drama. I completely relate to the friend who is trying to be helpful, but is also overwhelmed and doesn't know what to say. And then, the guilt and anxiety that Clay has to deal with is also just incredible and visceral. Without giving too much away, Vince Gatton lets us know what Clay is suffering with, and his trauma leads to yet another horrific consequence. I was stunned when I finished it. Wow. Great play!!

Vince Gatton is the rightful heir of the suspense drama embraced by the likes of Edgar Allan Poe, Alfred Hitchcock, and Rod Serling, doing it as well as they do, leaving so much to the imagination. The biggest monsters are not the real ones but those created by our fevered imagination, memories, and fears. In this short, sharp, taut piece he makes the most of it.

Vince Gatton creates such a thrilling and psychological hit with, 'Cassie Strickland Is Not Under the Bed.' Combining paranoia, fear, and regret with the process of overcoming trauma, Gatton reveals enough of the backstory in pieces so you know the right amount to perfect effect. This would be a gripping production to watch on stage and exciting for performers to tackle.

Dread and fear fill Clay's bedroom like a chilly fog, and Vince Gatton skillfully increases them throughout this scary, thrilling short drama.

I feel Clay's desperation throughout, his need to be heard and understood, his anger at being mollified. Such pain, fear, a sense of being alone -- it was almost too much to bear. And then Gatton took this short play in unexpected directions to great conclusion.

"Cassie Strickland is Not Under the Bed" is one of Gatton's anthology plays with ties to a tragic central event, whose effects ripple for years. Wonderful breadth of writing.