This play is a nuanced journey through many more emotions and tonalities than anyone expects from a mere 10-minute play. I love that, while Wendy Vogel immediately establishes a well-drawn tension between her two characters, we ultimately see these women connecting with each other. And actors would love the opportunity to play either role!

I was fortunate to be able to see a reading of this play at the 2024 Midwest Dramatists Conference in Kansas City. An ex-wife and an ex-lover of the same man meet at his funerals. Their conversation moves them from a rivalry to a comradery of sorts. When they leave to continue the conversation elsewhere, you will wish you could go along with them to see what happens next.

‘Not About Pretty’ is an emotionally charged play presenting a skillful examination of betrayal, resilience, and unexpected solidarity. In this narrative, two women bond over their mutual distaste for the recently deceased. What starts out as an uneasy confrontation, resolves in a tender and hopeful conclusion.