←Recommendations of Unbelted

I had great fun producing this play for audio drama podcast Theatrical Shenanigans and its a play that just gives and gives. You have an in depth look at the industry of wrestling, both past and present and even if you're not a wrestling fan you can understand the turmoil of the fate Hollis has had inflicted on him and the choice he now has to make. It gives you tension, moments of heartache and moments that make you laugh out loud. It was a joy to produce and I think would be a joy to see!

What does it mean for something to be "real?" Is a wrestling belt "real" if the championship it represents is rigged and everyone knows it? Is "love" real if it's love for an institution that has not always been kind to you and your body? This play really asks some fantastic questions about identity, aging, and the sunk-cost fallacy, using deeply human characters with rich histories and relationships. It moves quickly, with a lovely final image that audiences will be discussing on the way home.

Whether you’re familiar with the world of wrestling or no, you’ll find yourself sucked into the highs and lows of its epic sagas during the course of Alles’ one-act. Richly drawn characters provide a thoughtful exploration of aging (particularly in the spotlights of a public facing entertainment system), but also the agonizing difficulty of what it means to walk away from our life’s trade, especially if staying means we will sideline our loved ones. A powerful ending note.

Alles offers his audience an intriguing peek behind the scenes of the great performance art that is professional wrestling with this fascinating play. There's a nice, gritty humanity underscoring this lovely piece.

This one act is about wrestling, but you don't need to be a wrestling person to relate to Dan Hollis's inner conflict over whether or not to walk away from something he loves. The fact that it's in conflict with something ELSE he loves is just good storytelling. I especially love the final moment.

Audiences will be debating The Hammer's unresolved choice long after this engrossing play ends. The unique milieu and the characters who inhabit it are vividly rendered. Generational change is difficult for the older generation and the conflict between career and family is painful. This is a Christmas play in the way that Die Hard is a Christmas movie!

An engrossing peek behind the kayfabe curtain… A play about performance, career paths, and legacies. Like any good Christmas story, it’s also about family. An unconventional holiday tale, perhaps, but one that is absolutely deserving of cheers!

The choices we make tell us everything about us. In this poignant story with the backdrop of the metaphor of performance wrestling that harks back to "Gladiator" and "The Champ," Brent Alles gives us a bloodied hero who has to choose between going one way or the other. You do not have to be a fan of this sport to see that the choice "The Hammer" has to make will reveal his true off-stage character, and in the end, each of us will ask ourselves which way we would go.

As an old WWWF wrestling fan (Bruno was my favorite), I was easily transported to the world Brent Alles created in Unbelted. The behind-the-scenes locker room banter was perfect. The conflict of presenting a Sophie's choice to The Hammer on Christmas is especially poignant. I would love to see this staged - blood and all.

This short, behind-the-scenes look at pro wrestling, revolving around an older wrestler with a difficult choice to make, is both fascinating and moving. The fact that it's set on Christmas day makes the play a wonderfully unique choice for a holiday festival, but I'm sure audiences would enjoy it at any time of year.