Mark Ridge

In the vein of And Then There Were None, Clue and Murder by Death, The Vultures puts a modern, comedic, gay spin on the haunted house/ mystery genre.

The story takes place at Westmount Estate, on the 20th anniversary of the death of publishing magnate Simon West. As his six remaining relatives gather for the reading of his will, the mysterious housekeeper declares, “The relatives are swooping in like a wake of vultures ready to pick the carcass clean.”

When the will is read, Hunter West is named as the sole heir, on the condition that he doesn’t suffer from an insanity curse that has plagued the family. If Hunter is declared of unsound mind, a second envelope of the will must be opened, and it will designate an alternate heir.

As the night progresses and the storm rages, Hunter’s sanity comes into question and one of the group goes missing.

Who will ultimately inherit the fortune? Will it be the charming realtor, the handsome male model, the dimwitted nail technician, the bitter old woman, the gay hairdresser, or the mild mannered accountant?

Throw in a priceless pocket watch, an androgynous housekeeper, an escaped mental patient, and a pair of reunited lovers and the result is murder, with a hefty dose of laughs.

The Vultures is a modern day adaptation of two classic works, by John Willard, Mary Roberts Rinehard and Avery Hopwood. These plays, which are both in the public domain, have delighted audiences for nearly one hundred years and were ripe for an update and re-working.

SIGN OF LIFE was originally produced under the tile of KILLING KITTENS. It is a story of unlikely, yet lasting friendships; of loss and love and the need for emotional and physical human interaction. A lonely gay man, who suffers from a borderline personality disorder; his best friend, who truly loves him and the hustler from upstairs in need of an escape from an abusive relationship come together on an unforgettable and touching New Year's Eve. At its' core, SIGN OF LIFE is a play about abuse; about people who abuse themselves; about people who abuse others; and about people who allow themselves to be abused. Dark Comedy/Drama 2M, 1F Adult Language and Content

43rd Street is a musical parody that pays homage to many classic Broadway and Hollywood musicals, and pokes fun at the persona of screen legend Joan Crawford. Utilizing songs from some of Tin Pan Alley's greatest composers and updated lyrics, 43rd Street features singing, dancing, camp humor and men in drag. 43rd Street is the ultimate backstage musical with a decidedly gay sensibility.

43rd Street draws a lot of energy from the staples of the traditional drag show: mockery of “traditional” values, camp humor, references to popular culture, and winks and nods at the audience. There is also an attitude of fringe in the script, but where many fringe shows seek to alienate older adults, it still reaches out to fans of classic cinema and early jazz music.

For the person with a keen knowledge of the genre, there are over one hundred and fifty different musicals referenced in the script, and a large portion of the dialogue is composed of show-tune lyrics.

43rd Street is a two act musical that requires 14 actors, has minimal set requirements, and has been described as “An odd cross between a John Waters film and the Carol Burnett show.”

Score, music samples or link to rough demo recordings can be provided upon request.

Joe March is not a happy man. He's stuck in a dead-end job. His boyfriend has left him for a younger man. The crush he has on his neighbor is going nowhere. He's about to turn forty and there's a naked stranger in his bed!

When his friends want to whisk him away on a surprise birthday getaway, what's a nice, gay guy supposed to do? Go along for the ride!

Danger, drugs, hilarious characters, disaster and true love are all just a road trip away!

If Joe can survive the weekend, he just might find Euphoria.