←Recommendations of Snowflake (Tales From The Hill #1)

First off, I was incredibly nostalgic for my own days of being an RA: campus life and the challenges and accomplishments that came with it. That was ages ago (eep), and I can only imagine what it's like these days. Heyman's work here gives some contemporary illumination, as it's an insightful, usually charming, sometimes cautionary tale of where people are today and where people still need to get. For a ten minute, there's not a "neat bow," but there's a hopeful outlook that I really appreciated. I look forward to reading the other Tales From the Hill. An impressive beginning!

Characters meet cute in a lot of stories, but sparks can fly a lot farther when there is some angst thrown on the fire as we see in this first meeting between two college students at odds over a torn poster. Brett tries to ensure Chip (perfectly named, as he appears to have a rather large-sized one on his shoulder) he wasn't responsible and we're off to the relationship races. The 2 characters are both well-formed and we really want to see where this is going. A great start to an ongoing series.

"I just assumed, like an asshole!", for me, that was a powerful point of this piece. Sam has taken the already complicated world of being in higher education and then mixed in the intolerant and judgemental nature that exists in certain individuals and created what could be a tragic and sad piece. For me though, that wasn't what resonated here. The powerful nature of Chip as a character, both in the way he stands up for himself but also in the way he opens Brett's eyes, that's what stands as the centre piece here. Its a powerful and wonderful piece!

Brett arrives at college undeclared in more ways than one--his major and his sexuality. But one of those gets declared after he meets Chip, a confident, definitely declared gay man. This is a lovely little play about finding the courage to take the first step to recognizing who one is. It can be read alone or as the first of an eight-play cycle called "Tales from the Hill." I look forward to reading the other seven and seeing where these two engaging characters go from here.

In the awkward moment of a first meeting, the tentative dance of what to say/not say is breathless, especially in out in the open where everyone passing by can see it. Sam Heyman's Chip and Brett are equally charming and sometimes klutzy. Knowing this is the first of a series makes it even more intriguing, and gives one hope that whatever road these two young men travel, it will be informing and endearing. (And it's nice to know that being a college freshman today isn't that much different than it was in 1971.)

A great introduction to an intimate saga of friendship, discovery, and what we hope will turn out to be love. Heyman effortlessly plunges is tight into Chip and Brett’s world, actively showing us who they are and the social climate of the environment they inhabit. We learn just enough about them to hope for more: more for them and for us. A great first installment that’s off and running!

I read this, the first play in the series, after reading the second one. In both, Sam Heyman captures what it feels like/felt like for any reader/audience member to be a college student, and the dialogue and reactions are natural and intuitive. In this play -- which deals with the sometimes-scary world of guy interactions -- the stakes are higher, and there is more tension and risk. This play exemplifies how the personal and political can be intertwined in a good drama -- that also contains a touch of humor.

Sam Heyman's short play is a richly layered look at the lives of college students, each of them on journeys that have nothing to do with their classes. I especially enjoyed the dynamic between Chip and Brett, and how Heyman upends our expectations of who the confident, self-assured one is in their interaction.
This is a great standalone piece, but as part of a series with these characters (as the title implies), it is an even better introduction. Bravo!

What a wonderful little play about identity, assumptions, and our relationships with others! The playwright does an excellent job in drawing out aspects of characters and relationships in a small space; even Shep has a complex character despite only appearing for a few lines. I particularly enjoyed the back and forth about lax bros. This play did a really wonderful job showing that folks are more complex than they appear on the surface. Well done!