A Cup of Java at the Fourth Wall Cafe

by Dan West

TEN-MINUTE PLAY: Marvin has been camped out in a coffee shop for two weeks, waiting for the girl of his dreams and narrating the whole thing directly to the audience. When Ingrid walks in, she's perfect — except for one dealbreaker: she hates men who break the fourth wall. The encounter threatens to spin off the rails until the playwright himself climbs out of the audience to take over, only to discover that his...

TEN-MINUTE PLAY: Marvin has been camped out in a coffee shop for two weeks, waiting for the girl of his dreams and narrating the whole thing directly to the audience. When Ingrid walks in, she's perfect — except for one dealbreaker: she hates men who break the fourth wall. The encounter threatens to spin off the rails until the playwright himself climbs out of the audience to take over, only to discover that his characters have opinions about that too. A meta-theatrical comedy about loneliness, creative control, and what happens when the people you created stop doing what you want.

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A Cup of Java at the Fourth Wall Cafe

Recommended by

  • Greg Mandryk: A Cup of Java at the Fourth Wall Cafe by Dan West
    “

    Featuring a handful of endearing oddballs and a nonstop barrage of laugh lines, A Cup of Java at the Fourth Wall Cafe is a treat from start to finish. If you like your comedies with a side of meta awareness, Dan West’s short play is a must read!

    Featuring a handful of endearing oddballs and a nonstop barrage of laugh lines, A Cup of Java at the Fourth Wall Cafe is a treat from start to finish. If you like your comedies with a side of meta awareness, Dan West’s short play is a must read!

    ”
  • Danielle Wirsansky: A Cup of Java at the Fourth Wall Cafe by Dan West
    “

    Wildly funny and joyfully meta, A Cup of Java at the Fourth Wall Cafe turns loneliness, romance, and writerly control into theatrical chaos. West’s self-aware humor and clever twists make this a gleeful treat for audiences, actors, and playwrights alike.

    Wildly funny and joyfully meta, A Cup of Java at the Fourth Wall Cafe turns loneliness, romance, and writerly control into theatrical chaos. West’s self-aware humor and clever twists make this a gleeful treat for audiences, actors, and playwrights alike.

    ”
  • University of Northern Iowa Department of Theatre: A Cup of Java at the Fourth Wall Cafe by Dan West
    “

    A lovely meta piece with sharp humor and absurdity, you can't help but laugh! It's the type of show you walk away smiling gleefully. The show is pure fun and such an exciting show to direct! In a world with so much stress and anxiety, shows like this can help us take a break and have a good chuckle. I cannot recommend it enough!

    A lovely meta piece with sharp humor and absurdity, you can't help but laugh! It's the type of show you walk away smiling gleefully. The show is pure fun and such an exciting show to direct! In a world with so much stress and anxiety, shows like this can help us take a break and have a good chuckle. I cannot recommend it enough!

    ”
View all 7 recommendations

Character Information

The Actor who plays Ingrid also plays Alice
  • Marvin
    35
    Male
  • Alice
    Played by same actor as Ingrid
    25
    Female
  • Ingrid
    33
    Female
  • The Writer
    Character should not be listed in the playbill amongst the cast
    Male