←Recommendations of TEARJERKER

What happens when someone tasked with healing the world reaches their breaking point? In this piece, Aly Kantor exposes the limitations of empathy, reminding us that even those with the greatest capacity to care have their breaking points. Thoughtful, symbolic, and deeply human, “Tearjerker” leaves a lasting impression.

Wow. This is such a great concept. And really a testament to how much tragedy a person can handle before they emotionally just shut down and feel nothing. I love how this play ended, though. With a nice twist and hope through terror. A beautiful and strange piece to start a dialogue about dealing with too much emotionally.

The capacity to do good in this world, even for those who perform miracles, is finite. Aly Kantor's powerful "Tearjerker" shows us that even those with extraordinary abilities have their limits. It's a good reminder to the rest of us.
Audiences would love this thought-provoking and funny play about what it means to help.

Kantor presents us with a long line of not-so-patient pain and suffering and a room full of onion peels. As this short, powerful piece develops, Kantor skillfully heightens our curiosity and captures the utter saturation of "The One" who could heal it all...

Every now and then, a piece like this comes along and we think "I wish I had thought of that!" Aly Kantor hits all the right notes in this ten minute slice of super hero life and makes us wonder if we, too, would have the same issue that Nicky has. Would we end up feeling and living the same way? Some good smiles and some good fodder for deeper thought. Nice

Such a great premise, brilliantly explored by Kantor in a short, poignant, intriguing piece. As a long-time superhero fan, it's always easy to forget the human side of the superhuman and just focus on the flash and glamour. There's none of that here, and so we instead get to ask ourselves just what we would do if we had these abilities. Would we be able to continue to do what must be done? Or do we become numb to it all? All of this and more in this great read of a 10-minute.

The worlds you find in Aly Kantor’s plays often resemble our own, but with a twist of something unexpected that helps reveal elements of humanity that are often overlooked. “Tearjerker” hints at a world on fire outside its protagonists’ apartment, but focuses on a couple of good people who are struggling to do their best for a world that only knows how to take. When faced with a hurting, uncaring world, the humanity in “Tearjerker”’s central relationship wins out. A resonant, powerful short.

I just don’t believe there’s a wrong way to do good.
What if you had a superpower that could ultimately heal the masses, but only one person at a time? Who do you choose? What are the repercussions? What a big cross to bear for Nicky. Aly Kantor has a gift for examining humanity with tender reflection, honesty and always sparkling wit. Tearjerker surprised me, made me laugh, and made me think. I love this couple's commitment to the world and each other while questioning what exactly it means to be good. Powerful message. Beautiful levity.

Allegorical, emotional, thoughtful, tender, uplifting. "Tearjerker" is sensational and trusts the audience to catch up to a given situation that is macabre at the very least. I love that Aly Kantor literally puts the power of empathy -- and the costs of using it a lot -- on stage. I also love how Kantor shows that caring for ourselves and our loved ones sometimes has to come ahead of caring for the entire world.

A wry, tender, and witty love story about burnout and the weight of empathy. Aly Kantor endows Nicky with a magical gift, but it's via a mechanism that requires constant, raw emotional vulnerability to make it work...and the well is running dry. Activists, primary caregivers, nurses, social workers, and anyone whose vocation is caring for others will see themselves here -- as will those who love them, as they watch Dylan's escalating efforts to encourage, cajole, problem-solve, and protect. "Tikkun olam" takes a toll, Kantor seems to tell us: no one can do it alone. Lovely.