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John Minigan

Recommended by John Minigan

  • Love's Disenlightenment by Jeff Dunne
    14 Dec. 2019
    “ A little gem of a play--funny, unique, and touching. This play's couple (a playwright with an unusual concept for a short play) and his partner (an artistic director with grave doubts about the playwright's concept) work through conflict toward a positive resolution. Like the "lamp" in the playwright's play, the artistic director has to give up preconceptions of what it means to be "bright" to make the relationship and the play work. Wonderful and unexpected parallels in the worlds of the play and the play-within-the-play, and great comic potential for two silent stagehands. I'd love to see this on stage! ”
  • The New Galileos by Amy Berryman
    18 Nov. 2019
    “ Devastating and powerful and not so much science fiction as a warning about how close the edge we are, and how destructive of science and the environment our autocratic government has already become. The roles are compelling and, like the structure, complex and rewarding. An important play. ”
  • Alabaster by Audrey Cefaly
    12 Nov. 2019
    “ A play that is as stunning, surprising, and funny as it is rich and deeply affecting. A heart-breaking and affirming exploration of how the pain we suffer shapes us, holds us back, and can maybe move us forward. Audrey Cefaly uses time, space, language, time (and goats) in ways that force you to rethink how story and structure work. And the deep need for art is woven into this play's fabric. Gorgeous work. ”
  • A Blank Stage by Matthew Weaver
    9 Nov. 2019
    “ This is a grinning-ear-to-ear delight of a play. Yes, theater is awesome, but, yes, sometimes there are better things to do, and these characters, to their credit, are doing it. A wee (and whee!) gem, this play. ”
  • Last Ship to Proxima Centauri by Greg Lam
    3 Nov. 2019
    “ Greg Lam has an uncanny ability to create and follow a great science-fiction premise that ends up reflecting on our inner and outer lives in powerful ways. This play is at times hilarious, at times touching, at times disturbing, and it moves past the satirical premise to dig deep into questions of colonialism, of how insularity in cultures leads to oppression--all while mixing tones as effectively as it mixes languages. ”
  • Accommodations by Donna Hoke
    3 Nov. 2019
    “ This play's compelling situation and characters do what the best contemporary dramas do: it raises important issues of personal responsibility and offer no pat answers. The dramatic situation is compelling and clear, and the dialogue reveals the complexity of the thoughts and feelings of all three characters. Riveting and powerful work. ”
  • The Heinrich Maneuver (a ten minute play) by Mark Harvey Levine
    3 Nov. 2019
    “ This is a wild ride into a increasingly and hilariously absurd Spy vs. Spy world. Every twist and turn is masterfully wrought and totally delightful. And SO much fun for two actors to play! A finely-tuned farce.
    ”
  • The Unfortunate Teller by Jeff Dunne
    27 Oct. 2019
    “ This is a hilarious ten-minute play, and a great role for the "Friend," who grows from uncertainty to hilarity and confidence. A great addition to any ten-minute festival, and wonderful showcase for a comic actor. ”
  • FUKT by Emma Goldman-Sherman
    2 Oct. 2019
    “ FUKT is a miracle of a work of art. Harrowing, hilarious, immediate, and--essential for a play about memories--unforgettable. Its three actors embody the struggle from trauma to identity, raising questions of whether we can and should forgive and of how and when we can become whole, all while showing the power we can claim to name what has happened, what can happen, and who we are. A stunning work. There is something wrong with the American theater that this play has not been produced everywhere.
    ”
  • Hallmark Doesn't Make Cards for Us by Jackie Martin
    14 Jun. 2019
    “ I think it's really hard to build a believable and nuanced relationship in a ten minute play, but Jackie Martin does exactly that, exploring the warts-and-all connection between Jenna and Maggie. There is a quiet beauty in the way this mother and daughter pair goes from assuming every comment is meant to reopen old wounds to a subtle closing moment that acknowledges past pain and begins to find hope for their future. Program this play in your short play festival! ”

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