Recommended by Daniel Prillaman

  • The Fight for Purity, A Radio Play
    15 Nov. 2021
    Old West? Campy as hell? Duels? Sign me up! Levine's radio script is more than a hoot. It is many. Many, many hoots, one after another after another. From the dry remarks to the slapstick (which a sound designer would have oodles of fun translating from the images in our heads), every single one is a gem. So much space to play here.
  • Judith and Abra
    12 Nov. 2021
    I want to gush about every moment in this short play that I utterly loved, but I don't want to spoil each beautiful flick of the pen. Karuc's skill with pacing and dialogue is unmatched, and Vasilisa and B.Y.'s conversation in a grimy fast-food eatery is enchanting, funny, somber, and gratifying. Not only would theatres delight at the riff on a lesser staged folktale, but the opportunities in the worldbuilding here would be a thrill for actors and designers alike. Such a solid, delicious (you'll see) scene.
  • Cornered
    10 Nov. 2021
    In short, my favorite kind of play. Witty, funny, honest, and the more I keep thinking about it, the more I uncover. Schlomann's short piece is deceptively deep, and leaves us thinking just as much about what's outside of the cave as our duo trapped inside. I also love the choice in the character descriptions, to define each character by what the other thinks of them is a daring, subtle, genius move, and it gives actors and directors a delicious place to start.
  • Barn Wood and Blue Roses (ONE ACT VERSION)
    10 Nov. 2021
    I will add my voice to the chorus not demanding a full-length version, per se, but saying Floyd-Priskorn has outdone herself, and we want more. Thankfully, the bite-size length here is perfect for schools and younger audiences, and is a story that is beautiful, hopeful, heartbreaking, doesn't talk down, and truly brilliant in how it meshes "reality" with the world L'Sea and D'Nova conjure up. The characters are fully drawn and wonderfully charismatic, whether making magic or irreverently breaking the fourth wall. I'm hard pressed to think of a play people would have more fun with, in any capacity.
  • The Kissing Bandit
    7 Nov. 2021
    While I could joke that Weaver writes of kissing to ensure intimacy directors will never be out of work (perhaps not untrue), I continuously think there's something more. Always. There are so many layers to Weaver's work, but "The Kissing Bandit," in particular, reminds us of the innocence of the act. It's supposed to be a good thing, but humanity has taken even the kiss and corrupted its beauty. This is a delightful, stylish, pure, and sexy! one-act, and will be adored by any old enough to think that kissing isn't gross.
  • CLIPS
    5 Nov. 2021
    I must admit I am one to get frustrated at paywalls on news sites. Forbes, Washington Post, New York Times, I always think they can handle it. Smaller papers, however? Richter's short play is masterful and gives us loads of thought beyond just the matter of what it costs to run a paper. We only start there, soon diving into murky waters of politics, passion, and human kindness (or decency). A brilliant two-hander for actors and directors to explore.
  • We Are the Forgotten Beasts
    4 Nov. 2021
    A fantastical, alluring play about the spaces we create as children (or adults), be they out of a wish for whimsy and wonder, or our need for escape and a coping mechanism. St. Croix dives deep into exploring our connection with these spaces as we grow older. Do we lose them? Forget about them? What happens to them if our connection weakens? What happens to us? The cast of characters is brilliant and the playground at hand even more so, with opportunities for playful choreo and fight sequences alike. Absolutely engrossing all around and a hell of a play.
  • Crawlspaceblog
    29 Oct. 2021
    Deliciously thought-provoking, darkly funny, and somehow simultaneously one of the most innocent and creepy things I've ever read, Kane's play is pure fire. The best character studies make us empathize, but leave out a voice of judgment and condemnation, letting us make that final call. Is what Claire's doing really so bad? Healthy? Is Jenna's personality really that genuine? What really is any interaction we've ever had ever? I will be thinking of this one for a long time, and I need to "watch" somebody do it. This play instantly turned me into a Kane fan, you'll feel the same.
  • Lawnpeople
    26 Oct. 2021
    Brutally feeling, deeply layered, and mired in heartwrenching and hope in equal measure, Temesgen's play will blow you out of the water. The ethical, nigh impossible choices at hand deftly bring us to the line of "what you would do?" and the scenes move at a brisk, neatly escalating pace. Atop everything else, the haunting visage of Solymar's daughter is brilliant, adding the perfect touch of pure theatricality into the otherwise realistic world. The picture "Lawnpeople" paints of grief (for those living, for those gone, and for those who never were) is absolutely stellar. Highly recommend.
  • EDGAR ALLAN POE'S THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
    20 Oct. 2021
    A delightfully fun adaptation of Poe's classic story with the pitch-perfect level of creepy, Cross' tight script will hypnotize and transfix audiences of all ages. The timeliness of the play is undeniable (unfortunately), a solid reminder that disease is unfeeling. Without precaution, sometimes even with, it will find you. A better example of some old-school horror will be hard to find.

Pages