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Conor McShane

Recommended by Conor McShane

  • The Good Boy Game by Patrick Vermillion
    16 Nov. 2023
    “ A raw, unflinching look at a uniquely American phenomenon, with a few moments that made me clutch my head to keep my brain from leaking out of my ears (and I mean that as the highest compliment). This play asks some very trenchant questions--who is responsible for the violence and anger that infects so many young men and boys? Are people born bad? Can people ever really change?--in a way that is extremely provocative, but purposeful. It's everything I hope for in a new play, and one I'm going to be thinking about for a very long time. ”
  • Adrift by Rachel Feeny-Williams
    14 Nov. 2023
    “ Friend groups aren't the easiest thing to write, and the one in this play has a lovely, lived-in quality, where each character feels distinct. It feels like these characters are on the cusp of change, cracks starting to show in their group, the loss of innocence amplified by the presence of the young, imaginative Katie, who makes a great foil for the adults' squabbling. ”
  • the beautiful land i seek (la linda tierra que busco yo) by Matt Barbot
    7 Nov. 2023
    “ A wildly theatrical piece that takes the whole history of colonialism in Puerto Rico, throws it in a blender, and serves it up with a metaphysical/metatheatrical twist. Sometimes these kinds of historical plays can feel a bit dry, but I appreciated the imagination and humor threaded throughout. ”
  • Joy Junction by Nat Cassidy
    1 Nov. 2023
    “ I'm a year-round horror nerd, and Nat Cassidy's shorts are like quick hits of horror catnip that manage to get under your skin while leaving you cackling with delight at their audacious grossness, and this one is no exception. I'd love to see it staged, but then what exists in my mind might be the creepiest staging of all. ”
  • Akira Kurosawa Explains His Movies and Yogurt (with Live & Active Cultures!) by Julia Izumi
    31 Oct. 2023
    “ This delightful work touches on a lot of things: cultural identity, appropriation, the struggles of the children of immigrants to understand their parents, the ineffable struggle to talk about art, and much more, all wrapped in a playfully experimental package. I loved the use of audience interaction and actors breaking character, creating a space for collective healing. ”
  • Punk Grandpa by Laura Scruggs
    3 Oct. 2023
    “ A wonderfully theatrical and loving piece that serves as an important reminder to never grow up too much, to always find the joy and the humor and the play in life. I sure wish I had a grandpa like this! ”
  • Lucky by Phanésia Pharel
    28 Sep. 2023
    “ A heart-stoppingly beautiful piece that deftly weaves time and space together with subtle magic. It contains a great deal of suffering and pain, but also deep tenderness, love, and even joy. Sometimes, choosing hope is the most radical thing you can do. ”
  • La Mujer Barbuda by Cristina Luzárraga
    21 Sep. 2023
    “ I love any play that moves fluidly through time, bringing together two disparate stories with beautiful thematic and dramatic symmetry, and this play does that so well. It touches on a lot of things--motherhood, the struggle to succeed in male-dominated spaces, societal expectations around femininity and gender presentation--and I appreciated that it doesn't give us only one interpretation, but allows us the space to ponder. ”
  • Data by Matthew Libby
    17 Aug. 2023
    “ Libby is so good at writing plays that explore the intersection of technology and humanity, crafting nuanced, thought-provoking stories that also work as propulsive, finely wrought pieces of drama. He presents us with a doozy here, a sort of corporate espionage story that examines tech companies' culpability for the applications of their technology and the impossibility of turning the messiness of humanity into standardized data. We humans are deeply flawed, so how can we expect what we create to be flawless? ”
  • BLACK BEAR ISLAND by Karissa Murrell Myers
    10 Aug. 2023
    “ A crackling, propulsive, eerie mystery tale with some wonderfully theatrical, magical touches. Its 120 pages practically flew by, so eager was I to know where things were headed and uncover the secrets of the island. I could see it all clearly in my head, but would love to see it come to life onstage! ”

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