Kirt Shineman

When Allen, a teenager, is sent to help his great-grandmother, Della, recover from her recent stroke, he discovers what courage he needs to stand up for himself and Della.

Hope and Tate built their dream home to start a family. But it is 2020, and the California hills in Sonoma County are dry, crisp, and primed for fire. When Tate and Hope visit a private fire insurance company, Jim gives them the VIP treatment, shows off the hot new technology and argues for Tate and Hope to purchase his expensive private firefighting policy. Hope and Tate must choose to have a baby or use the baby fund to pay for the insurance. Private Fire is a sizzling story about the frigid world of insurance.

Jason, a college lacrosse coach, prepares for training when Colton brings a recording of his biological donating “father” to Jason’s office. Colton wants to hear his biological father’s interview and discover who his father is. Yet, as Colton trusts Jason with this personal discovery, he learns that a father is more than biology. A touching play for Father’s Day.

In 1975, ABC Television seeks the rights to the Nancy Drew Mysteries to develop a new TV show. After a prolonged search for the elusive author Carolyn Keene, they locate Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, who staunchly refuses to sell the rights. ABC proceeds with the project anyway, prompting Harriet to discover their plans and sue. Amidst the legal tussle, another woman, Mildred Wirt Benson, also claims to be Carolyn Keene, leading to a confrontation to determine the true creator of Nancy Drew. The play unfolds in a television producer's boardroom, where Nancy Drew, brought to life on stage, narrates the unfolding drama. Harriet, the business-minded daughter of the Stratemeyer Syndicate founder, and Mildred, an accomplished writer from Iowa who ghostwrote many of the early Nancy Drew books, clash over their claims to the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. Through witty exchanges and humorous revelations, they delve into their pasts and their contributions to the iconic character. Nancy, caught between the two women who both claim to be her creator, adds a comedic touch with her observations and desire for a modern, edgier portrayal on television. The play explores themes of authorship, legacy, and the commercialization of literary characters, all while maintaining a light-hearted and satirical tone. In the end, Harriet and Mildred reach a tentative agreement to maintain Nancy's wholesome image, while Nancy herself laments the restrictions placed on her character. The play concludes with Nancy's humorous resignation to her fate, always finding herself in mysterious situations without the comfort of modern vices.

When Kady’s son, Omar, dies, along with dozens of young children in Gambia, from acute kidney injuries, she is surprised to learn the medication given to her to cure her son made him sick. Aanya, the head of the syrup pharmaceutical line, attempts to resolve the contaminated grape cough syrups made by her employer, an Indian drug manufacturer. Still, her boss, Jaiden, decides to cover up their culpability. Aanya decides she must act and poisons Jaiden with the same cough syrup that killed Kady’s baby.

At a time when gay people were deep in the closet, here was an album for them. There was nothing to compare with it. There was also no information about it – at least not until recently. When Murray is asked by his boss at the record company to come up with a new concept, Murray invites his album-cover photographer, Gene, and his wife, Marjorie to hear his pitch: an album by male composers sung by a man for men. Even though the album concept scares Gene, he loves the idea of being on an album. Marjorie, on the other hand, fears Gene is not being honest with her, or with himself. At the studio when they make the album, Gene reinvents this material by the lightest of touches, his silky purr, and wistful solos make him sound like the real deal. The album unlocks his closet and Marjorie sees the door open. In the final scene, Marjorie and Gene meet at the same diner Murray pitched them the idea. They try to reconnect.

1916, John Singer Sargent wants to do something new. Yet, his friend, Isabella Steward Gardner, keeps lining up more portraits. At a dinner party, the President of the Boston Museum of Fine Art commissions John to paint the museum rotunda. He could, but he has no inspiration. Thomas McKeller, an uneducated Black hotel elevator operator, thrusts himself upon John to be his model. John hires Thomas. In secret John completes portraits of white men and women using a Black male model and goes on to create his final greatest work, the ceiling at the Museum of Fine Art, with White gods modeled on a Black man. All the while John is drawn to Thomas, they embark on a journey of love, but a journey they must never reveal.

December 1975, after Christmas, and Agatha Christie must finish her autobiography and the final novel before the new year. Yet, Agatha is fixated on an event in her past when Nancy Neele stole her husband. With Mary Westmacott’s help they contemplate what it would be like to kill Nancy. When Nancy turns up dead, Agatha and Mary investigate. Even though Agatha considered murdering Nancy, did she really do it, or is her reality disappearing?

Tormented by guilt following the death of her son, Charlie, while on a study abroad in Belgium, college professor Marie Ballard finds herself unhinged and unable to cope. Returning back to work, following an extended stay at home, Marie tries to deal with her fears and also reconnect with her husband, Joe. With the help of her psychiatrist, Dr. Weber, Marie attempts to overcome her fears, so that they can fly to the trial of the terrorist who killed Charlie. Can they cope with the aftermath of such traumatic events?

In 1824, after Lord Byron’s death, five of his closest friends gather to decide the fate of Lord Byron’s memoirs. They decide whether to publish the manuscript or not. Is it suitable for public consumption? If they publish the memoirs, lives might be ruined. What are the damning secrets his friends need to protect?

Welcome to the prestigious world of Master Sommeliers. An impressive group of wine experts, who passed an exam with one of the lowest success rates in the world. Claire wants to be part of the group. But when the Court of Master Sommeliers revokes their licenses because of a cheating scandal, Claire’s dream is corked. She and her husband, Parker, lose their new apartment; Ke loses his visa, and Cy is demoted to waiter. Claire’s mother-in-law, Sandrine, jumps to the rescue and readies them for the re-exam. All the while Claire searches for the cheater. A truly drunk on life comedy about lies, loves, and sour grapes.

When Professor Atlas Parker, a white Political-Science professor assigns his students to role-play the (in)famous 1967 Baldwin-Buckley debate in his class, his students protest his pedagogy to the administration. The students ask for Prof. Parker’s dismissal. The play begins with the famous James Baldwin/William F. Buckley 1965 Cambridge debate performed verbatim by college students in a political science course in 2020. The strangeness of the verbatim debate is apparent immediately as the students lip synch the exact words of the famous people, with only one element of their identity altered. The males, David Heycock and Jeremy Burford are enacted by undergraduate female students. James Baldwin is performed by a white male student. William F. Buckley Jr. is performed by a Black male student. At the end of Act One, the end of the British parliamentary debate, like the actual debate in '65, the audience votes the winner. Act Two takes place in the University Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs' office. A video of clips from the students' re-enactment went viral, angering the Governing Board, and the University President calls Shultz to "get to the bottom of this". Interim VPAA Sarah Shultz investigates various grievances of the aforementioned activity in Professor Parker's course. As the University President presses, he wants a head on a stake, but the case is not a simple matter of who did what.

Three men gather in their favorite bar and reminisce about Saturday Morning Cartoons. Through their silly stories, they address their anxieties, their joys, their fears, and the work that goes into maintaining their identities as men. Through their favorite cartoons, they reflect on their childhood. The cartoon depictions of masculinity show the quintessential beliefs about being a man and growing up.

At a timeshare condo Sam opens the door to find his former high school friend, Mat. After a dinner, a racist/homophobic resort driver attacks them, they discover how the years changed their perspectives. Yet, some things don’t change. They rekindle their lost love. As they recall the loss of their past relationship, will they animate a new relationship in the here and now?

In March 2020, the coronavirus begins to spread suffering, and Devin comes home from his bookstore to find his house ransacked. He calls his best friend, Luke, and his husband, Thomas to investigate. Over the next few weeks, as COVID-19 spreads, and Nick divorces Devin, their failed relationship leads Luke and Thomas to question their marriage. Is the divorce contagious? How will Luke and Thomas inoculate, and maintain their love?

The Last Words or Ultimas Palabras (in Spanish) is a compilation play of the last written words of two brothers who revolt against a totalitarian government, and their struggle against the authorities. The letters, statements and dispatches issued by the leaders of the uprising and accounts of their last moments are placed in the hands of the survivors. Will they do something to stop the totalitarian government, or will they be complicit in the repression?

When Louise Nevelson and Martha Jackson discover no one's heard of them and how they changed American art, they competitively assemble their lives. Through their friendship, their prospective arts, and their travels together, we glory in seeing the women whose lives was more art than their artwork.

How does a soldier find forgiveness and overcome the shame of inaction? Often soldiers are forced to witness horrible acts of war. Morally injurious events such as these can produce post-traumatic stress disorder in soldiers, even when they don’t involve an actual life threat. This play questions the impact on a soldier, Jacob, after he witness’s horrible events committed by a foreign-ally soldier.

A solo-performance- While Sue prepares for her son’s 18th birthday, she awaits important news. Meanwhile she recounts why she became Alley Oop the Clown, and how being a clown

What story would you tell to get your freedom and your love? When Javad escapes from Iran, he needs help attaining asylum in Turkey. He encounters American reporter, Barry. Through stories of forbidden passion Javad sweet-talks Barry into reuniting Javad with his true love, Harun, and getting him an interview at the embassy. Unluckily, Barry’s thoughtful assistance has unforeseen consequences for everyone.

In Syria, a conspiracy begins to grow, and people in Syria begin to believe in the existence of a hidden reality behind the familiar reality, the idea that what one thought was going on all the time was in fact, in large part, an illusion or deception. A blogger, Seban, tries to rally support for the pro-democracy movement, but is caught in a quagmire of twisted and humorous intrigue. Who will believe the propaganda for the truth, or the truth for the propaganda?

When reporter Anton Suryapin is arrested by the Belarus KGB, his pregnant girlfriend, Polina, calls on all of her friends to help with his release. She contacts owners of Sweden's ad agency Studio Total. In an effort to help Polina’s boyfriend, Tomas and Hannah illegally fly their small plane over Belarus and drop nearly teddy bears on Minsk. The airdrop changes everyone involved. 2016 Kennedy Center John Cauble Award Semi-Finalist

When Abby goes missing, the college town hops into high gear, searching for her. Who kidnapped her? Abby awakens, strapped to a wheelchair, wearing an explosive ankle bracelet. She finds herself isolated in a mansion of a bygone era, when women were given no independence or freedom. Her captor attempts to reinstate boundaries of gender and sex, but Abby wants a modern existence. Will she remain his doll, beautiful, with nothing to do but guard an egg and roam the house, a bored existence? Will he let her go? Will she be the only one?

When real-life artist, Egon Schiele, is charged with raping and kidnapping of a young girl, his trial becomes a landmark and his artwork is deemed pornography. Charged with immoral and depraved behavior, Egon fights for his freedom. His ordeal places him, his art and his lifestyle with his girlfriend, Wally, on trial. The court case calls into question Egon's radical upbringing and his development as an artist. Will he be erased or will he draw freely?

Once upon a time… when Poppy finds Rose lost, blinded, and half dead in the woods without her newborn, Poppy discovers Rose has enchanted breast milk. Poppy uses her own special magic to keep Rose working at Poppy’s newly invented milk store. One day Rose’s twin sister, Lilly unexpected arrives at the Mothers’ Milk Store. Lilly wants to buy milk to feed her baby; the very same baby Rose gave birth to, and believes is dead. Rose and Poppy decide to get the baby back, and their plan is full of adventure. “Mother's Milk” is a charming adult fairytale.

In 2003, as Della Mae suffers from COPD, her great-grand-daughter, Kodie, cares for her in a run-down trailer in Lookout Mt. Park. When Sue, Della Mae’s daughter, and Julie, her grand-daughter, return from visiting the cemetery, and a quick stop at the drug store, Kodie effectively fools her relatives into thinking she’s stopped her OxyContin addiction. Yet, while Kodie is high on drugs she disconnects Della Mae’s oxygen, almost killing her. The family intervenes to help Kodie battle her hidden demons, and more family secrets make themselves known.

The first play in the Trailer-Park Trilogy about the cycle of poverty and women. In the 60’s as America’s feminist movement was in full swing, and Robin-Sue, a down and out young woman, in a male-dominated small town, realizes life is nothing like she planned. Restless and unfulfilled in an oppressive (under-paying) job, no prospective suitors to help her get out of the stifling town of Benkelman, Nebraska. She finds her only joy with a race-car driver, Donald, to whom she pins her freedom. But when reality sets in and she finds freedom and her dreams elude her, she goes to the extreme to escape. Benkelman is a riveting look at the danger that can come from a life unlived.

(The second of the Trailer Park Trilogy exploring generations of women in poverty) In 1983, when 18-year-old Julie-Ann begins college her ‘choices’ are front and center, and yet, she discovers that being an adult doesn't always present right and wrong options. Julie-Ann is given the choice to attend class, drink, take drugs, and have sex, but the trouble with ‘choice’ is that her choices don’t necessarily empower her, or do they?

Living with a mental disease is hard. In this act play, a young father tries to do what is right by his little girl, but his bi-polar swings eventually tie him up in knots. Will he find help, or will his daughter be forever scarred?

A teenage boy found nailed to the floor with over three-hundred nails, and a room full of blood is the beginning of Dr. Angelica Hess’s disturbing search for the killers. When psychologist Dr. Angelica Hess, is called by her old boy-friend, FBI Special Agent Ryan Maddock to help him assess a murder, Angelica’s faith in logic begins to unravel. Together they solve the horrific murder of Brice Moukila, a young Congolese refugee. Through their combination of police investigative skills and psychiatric insight they solve one of the most troublesome crimes of the century. The play is based on true events.

Meeting our heroes is sometimes like meeting our selves. Ben, a Jewish screenwriter, is at the lowest part of his life. He's a Hollywood failure, and his wife left him for his boss. Drunk, and hiding out in a church, Ben searches for a purpose. His boss sends Ben to purchase a new novel from his hero, the Academy Award nominee of Cool Hand Luke, Donn Pearce. Is this his big break? Ben meets his hero, but what he discovers in Pearce changes his destiny.

In a near future totalitarian society of One State, a D-503 faces the all-powerful “Benefactor”. “D-503” enters a surgical auditorium, where the Benefactor (an unseen Voice) interrogates the D-503. All the while the D-503’s girl-friend and son are held hostage and the D-503 must decide whether to reveal his writings or pay the price for surrendering his individual self to the collective dream of technology. [Inspired by Yevgeny Zamyatin’s novel WE, recognized as the inspiration for George Orwell's 1984.] 2015 Kennedy Center John Cauble Award Semi-Finalist

Months after the death of her father Mayre Griffiths, nicknamed Trot, encounters a few mischievous classmates on the coast of southern California. The mean boys play “keep-away” with her newly crafted pearl necklace, with a medal from her dead father. She freezes, and cannot defend herself. Her constant companion Cap'n Bill, a retired sailor with a wooden leg, comes to her rescue. After scaring away the boys, Cap’n Bill confronts Trot about a visit he and Trot’s mother received; Trot’s teacher and principle came to the house looking for Trot, who had not been to school in weeks. Why? Trot explains she’s spent most of her days roaming the beach, avoiding the bullies, and swimming in the ocean, diving for pearls, and she even found a large pink pearl. Concerned, Cap'n Bill rows the two of them to where Trot found the infamous pink pearl. Trot and Cap’n Bill are attacked by SeaDevils, sent by the evil magician, Zog. They are forced to row into the forbidden Giant’s Cove. There the mermaids rescue Trot, and the distressed Cap'n Bill, and take them to visit to their land in mermaid form. Trot is enthusiastic, and Bill is too loyal to let her go off without him. Thus begins their adventure with the Sea Fairies as Trot learns about the ocean animals, the beauty of the deep, surmounts her grief over the death of her father, and through it all she finds the strength to take on the local bullies.

Jackie Derokowsky, a university English teacher, enters a juvenile delinquent detention Correction Center for boys and uses Feodor Dostoevsky’s novel to educate the young felons. The changes to their lives alter the divide between teacher and student in ways none of them are prepared. Punishment is society’s revenge against the perpetrator of the crime, but it is also the medicine of healing. (A work in progress.)