←Recommendations of Fly Away - A 5-Minute Play

How can one cope with the death of a child? As "David" says, "I never understood the term 'devastating loss' before ..." As he and Lacey begin to question their whole relationship to the universe, a cardinal becomes the catalyst for them to gather the loose strands of their differing religious beliefs, their anger, and their hurt and to begin to find a way through their unimaginable new reality. From Deb Cole, one expects thoughtful plays and believable characters. This is no exception.

As beautifully written as it is devastating, Deb Cole's look at loss and living on after is quiet, but it speaks volumes. Lacey is desperately looking for a way to hang on to her late daughter and finds it in a cardinal. David is even more interesting here. There's a sense of anger under his words. I was fascinated with his take on possibility seeing their child in the afterlife. It made him angry that a possible creator would take away their little girl in the first place. These are rich, complex characters brought to us in only 5 pages.

There is no easy way to deal with grief. Religion, looking for signs from the departed, or just trying to plow ahead. What works for one may not work for another. In this lovely, heartbreaking play, Deb Cole presents a couple who may have found something that, over time, will hopefully ease their pain. It doesn’t get any more real than this.

This play is a dagger to the heart of parents, eliciting feelings those of us familiar with the pain will recognize, while creating a space for empathy in those who aren't. Only five pages and yet the story shared resonates as a much larger tome. Brilliant writing.

I don’t know what to say. This gripping narrative between two people struggling with the loss of a child is raw and, as Cole says, devastating. It’s unimaginable thinking about what these characters are going through. Cole threads the needle with an authenticity crafted from sheer will of wanting to tell a story that rings true. Outstanding and highly recommended.

"Fly Away" reminded me that loss and healing are two characters in a play trying to meet in the middle. To deal with it alone is one thing and with someone else is another. Love is a common denominator. As this short moving plays shows. Thanks Deb Cole”

Fly Away is a brief introspective glimpse into the different ways that people process grief and how couples, while processing differently, can support each other through tragedy. A beautiful reminder of the power of love persevering through loss.

What a way to start a morning. For Lacey and David as well as for me, the reader! This is a beautiful 2 hander about loss and the need to hold on to something to keep from drowning in grief. But there is hope in these short pages, because, even though Lacey and David have slightly different needs in their belief of what is beyond, they can come together and believe in each other.

This is a full-length play masquerading as a 5-minute. DEBRA COLE's exploration of parental grief is almost overwhelming in the number of manifestations it explores. This one is going to haunt you. And get audiences talking.

Debra writes a short yet poignant look at grief and how important it is to see the brightness of the future.