←Recommendations of Waiting On Mom, Who Already Left

This is my first encounter with John Busser’s work. His play, Waiting on Mom, Who Already Left is a heartfelt and humorous look at siblings navigating loss. The sharp, natural dialogue captures the tension and love between Jackie and Scott, blending comedy with poignant truths about grief. It’s a relatable and touching piece that feels complete yet leaves you eager for more. I look forward to more work by this excellent dramatist.

Jackie takes charge, Scott handles the stuff on the sidelines. Neither is wrong, and they're absolutely not alone.
Busser, a maestro of plays of any length, does an outstanding job showing the comedic-mundane realities that come during the grieving process, and the ways we can use them to find solace. Indeed, these can be the moments when humanity shines the most. WAITING ON MOM, WHO ALREADY LEFT (great title!) is hilarious. It's also REAL, which is the bigger accomplishment.

How does a control freak handle grief? By trying to exert her agency on every detail in the aftermath of loss, of course! This is an honest and cathartic character-driven play about authentically drawn siblings who handle responsibility very differently. A silly anecdote (and the subsequent response to it) reveal so much about these characters and what they really need to persist and find fulfillment after this major loss. Both funny and moving, this would be a gift for actors and audiences!

This short piece struck very close to home. It doesn't matter why, but suffice it to say that John Busser has an ear and a voice for the relationship between a brother and sister who are having differences over trivial moments -- some funny and achingly true -- to fend off the avalanche of grieving that comes with losing a parent. It's tender, touching, and honest to the point that even if it hasn't happened to you, you will still relate to the feelings if not the situation.

John Busser is a terrific comedy writer. Here he makes perfect use of humor as a release for two siblings suffering from the exhaustion and frayed nerves from the recent passing of their mother. The situation, the characters, and their reactions to events and each other are all completely believable. This piece works perfectly as a 10-minute play, but with a hint that this is the opening scene of a full-length version, I look forward to the chance to revisit! And I hope Aunt Peg will make an appearance!

John Busser's reminds us that kindness, understanding and grace are needed especially in emotionally heightened times. That he shows that so clearly yet also layers good-natured ribbing and and teasing between siblings on top of it shows his skills. "Waiting on Mom, Who Already Left" is terrific.

Wow. Incredible show and to find out it's the first scene of a full length show, can't wait to read the rest of the show. As a stand-alone, it's brilliant. The relationship between the two siblings, so relatable. I think the thing that really makes this a next level show is how John Busser gets you rooting for both siblings and against both siblings at certain points. There's a real tug-of-war in emotion and especially grief. Beautiful play.

This is such a beautiful, snapshot of a moment. A moment almost all of us will go through (or already have) and a moment that is so simple and real it really shakes you. You almost feel like you are sitting there with Scott and Jackie as they have gotten past their world shattering and are now just staring at the pieces, determining what to do with them. Looking forward to the full length of this play!

I enjoyed reading John Busser's sweet and humorous story about a funeral! There, I said it. His characters are marvelously drawn, believable and I could identify with them, from a similar family experience. The segment about Aunt Peg is hilarious (I won't give it away), and the ending ties things up in a nice bow. Busser is really quite good at creating fully rounded short stories. Hope this gets produced.

John Busser has an incredible talent for creating three dimensional characters who quickly establish themselves and carry the story they tell with ease. This is a great short play that satisfies on its own while leaving you ready and excited for more. Always a pleasure reading John’s work.