←Recommendations of A 3-act, centuries-long love affair (abridged)

I just thought of this play because I wanted to give it a shoutout on an upcoming episode of my podcast Theatre of the Mind about "time" -- & was dismayed to discover I'd neglected to recommend it already! A grave error which will shortly be remedied. This is one for the ages. Mabey knows how to choose a moment, & how to cram a long time into a short play while still somehow letting the moments they've chosen breathe. A mini master class.

Relationships are complicated! Especially for mythical creatures that subsist by feeding on the vital essence of the living across the centuries. Most of us just quibble about whose turn it is to empty the dishwasher - not the gradients of normative expectation related to 'turning' fellow vampires. Look, if you're lost by this recommendation, do yourself a favor and read Mabey's delightful play. It's one page, and so much more. I'd LOVE to see this one on its feet. Or floating in mid-air. Or suspended upside-down like a bat! Pure fun. Bravo!

Genius at work! Three acts in a single page! The shift in tone of the dialogue is hilarious. John Mabey and his vampire characters show us that immortality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Great fun for actors and audiences alike!

What fun! So many genre conventions are satirized with such efficiency. This is a truly delightful spoof.

Finally! A realistic vampire love story! Cass and Lovell learn there's plenty of time for second chances when you have forever. Though tongue-in-cheek, this piece is truly beautiful and fun. I can't get over how clever it is! Love it!

A really original take on one of the horror genre's most popular creatures: the vampire. A great short play!

Another play that exemplifies Hemingway-esque brevity, Mabey's concise writing style allows for you to feel for these characters in such a short time. The ambiguity of the characters allows for lenient casting, which leaves lots of room for actors and directors to explore this dynamic. I highly recommend "A 3-Act, Centuries-Long Love Affair" for any short play festival looking for an imaginative piece of writing!

This must be the longest time span crammed into one page! A great vampire epic of epically small proportions, and it's fun too! Love it!

Love comes and goes, but life is forever when you're a vampire. John Mabey packs a lot of insight into this witty short.

How did I get so invested in these two characters over the course of one page that I legitimately got goosebumps at the last line? Ah, love. Ah, John Mabey. What a good and wonderful little play.