Recommended by Paul Donnelly

  • You Go To My Head: A Melodrama
    8 Jun. 2024
    A dark and moody period piece dealing with strained racial and sexual relations in the early 1960s. So much tension roils under the surface of every interaction and propels the narrative relentlessly forward. The revelation of a terrible secret irrevocably alters the lives of two female lovers. Powerful stuff!
  • Zoltan, Teller of Truths
    6 Jun. 2024
    What starts out a little innocent fun with Zoltan, whose initial remarks are quite funny, ultimately leads to the telling of uncomfortable truths. This script would be great fun for the actor who gets to play Zoltan. His deadpan delivery of truths that become progressively closer to the bone leads to several "Ooooh!" moments. The final awkward beats are quite touching. An imaginative and heartfelt work.
  • Black River: A Love Story
    5 Jun. 2024
    From the lyrical opening line to the tender closing line, this play had me in its grip. It's filled with vivid characters with deep backstories and compelling current day demons. As they struggle to connect or to embrace or escape their pasts, their intersecting paths make for riveting drama. The rich and near mythical atmosphere contributes to the weight of their spiritual dilemmas. This play is simply a towering achievement.
  • 1994: STEALING THE SCREAM (10-minute play)
    4 Jun. 2024
    The act of stealing The Scream is its own existential cry of despair in this fascinating exploration of a possible motive for the theft. Both characters are deftly drawn and the situation is both sad and absorbing.
  • waiting for the bus
    4 Jun. 2024
    Well that was a brilliant exercise in misdirection. The big reveal is startling, but then mined for laughs. And there are laughs aplenty in this witty takedown of the officiousness of public transportation workers. Or one particular worker. I believe I will also turn to Uber.
  • Senior Prom
    4 Jun. 2024
    It isn't all memories and nostalgia as Deborah and Mike are reunited after sixty years. The gauzy past gives way to a real and vital present. Who they have become turns out to be far more interesting than who they were. Their history is mined for much humor that spills into the present day. A lovely piece of work.
  • LONG STORY SHORT - A ONE-MINUTE PLAY
    4 Jun. 2024
    What a tart little takedown of Moby Dick! Although, boy does the Bookseller ever make the Customer pay for that service. Many laughs in a piece that is as brief as Moby Dick is bloated.
  • Five Miles Long, Two Hundred Feet High
    4 Jun. 2024
    Two well-drawn and engaging characters come to face their very different fears in this lovely two-hander. The setting and Jason's mission offer unique circumstances for a first meeting. This is a charming, surprising, and well-executed romantic comedy.
  • A Bucket of Crabs (Walking Warm)
    4 Jun. 2024
    The initially unspoken divides among these sisters provide tension that drew me in from the start. The affection among the sisters keeps their differences submerged as they reminisce about their shared history. When the differences bubble to the surface the peace making sister has her hands full. A final cathartic explosion reveals the depth of their disputes, but also reveals the endurance of their bond.
  • The Boat Man
    4 Jun. 2024
    It's not easy being dead, especially when your guide to the afterlife is the wryly matter of fact Boat Man. This play offers a comic vision of the process of entering eternity and has a surprisingly hopeful conclusion.

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