An Audience of One

by Michael C. O'Day

[TEN MINUTE] Infatuation. Pursuit. Rejection. Repeat. One last, desperate attempt, against all the obstacles thrown up by a cold and indifferent world, to catch the attention of one loved from afar and sweep them up in the delirious ecstasies of passion. Maybe.

[TEN MINUTE] Infatuation. Pursuit. Rejection. Repeat. One last, desperate attempt, against all the obstacles thrown up by a cold and indifferent world, to catch the attention of one loved from afar and sweep them up in the delirious ecstasies of passion. Maybe.

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An Audience of One

Recommended by

  • Shelby Seeley: An Audience of One by Michael C. O'Day
    “

    I saw a production of this at the Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre and it translates extremely well to the stage. The audience doesn't even realize what's happening with the language until a few minutes in- if not until the monologue. It's very effective.

    I saw a production of this at the Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre and it translates extremely well to the stage. The audience doesn't even realize what's happening with the language until a few minutes in- if not until the monologue. It's very effective.

    ”
  • Mike Byham: An Audience of One by Michael C. O'Day
    “

    An interesting study in humans ability to communicate a lot with short verbal cues, AN AUDIENCE OF ONE begs the reader and audience to wish the HERO a happy ending - especially since he pleads for such with an epic monologue inserted at precisely the right spot to illuminate the difference between this dreamer and the monosyllabic existence of his rival CUSTOMER. The beauty of this piece is all that is communicated in such a short span with so few words. A masterclass in short play development.

    An interesting study in humans ability to communicate a lot with short verbal cues, AN AUDIENCE OF ONE begs the reader and audience to wish the HERO a happy ending - especially since he pleads for such with an epic monologue inserted at precisely the right spot to illuminate the difference between this dreamer and the monosyllabic existence of his rival CUSTOMER. The beauty of this piece is all that is communicated in such a short span with so few words. A masterclass in short play development.

    ”
  • Cam Eickmeyer: An Audience of One by Michael C. O'Day
    “

    There's the skill of showing more by saying less and then there's the ART that this short piece climbs to. Each line of dialogue is a short punch and the reader/viewer fills in all the painful, awkward gaps to a beautiful and full story. Very lovely play.

    There's the skill of showing more by saying less and then there's the ART that this short piece climbs to. Each line of dialogue is a short punch and the reader/viewer fills in all the painful, awkward gaps to a beautiful and full story. Very lovely play.

    ”
View all 12 recommendations
All roles can be played by actors of any gender, race, or ethnicity
The HERO - youthful and earnest
The MAID - young and attractive
The VENDOR - older and curmudgeonly
The CUSTOMER - a little older than the HERO, and far more confident
The JOGGER - athletic, friendly and chipper

Development History

  • Reading, Tuesdays at Nine cold reading series, Naked Angels, 2024
  • Reading, Ten-Minute Play Slam, Valdez Theatre Conference, 2024

Production History

  • Community Theater, Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre, Ten Minute Play Festival, 2025
  • Community Theater, Old Academy Players, One-Act Bonanza, Philadelphia, PA, 2024