Recommended by Dave Osmundsen

  • All The King's Horses
    7 Aug. 2021
    At once a thriller that gradually reveals itself to the audience and a complex portrayal of mother/daughter relations, "All the King's Horses" swiftly and theatrically explores how lies and deception complicate one woman's bodily autonomy.
  • A PICTURE OF TWO BOYS
    6 Aug. 2021
    Malakhow gives us an intimate and dynamic relationship between two young men who uncover and realize the trauma they have suffered at the hands of the same person in acutely different ways. It is not always a pretty picture--Malakhow often goes for the messy and the complicated, particularly in the second half of the play. But the depth of emotion here is outstanding, and you feel as if you have become friends with Peter and Marcus by the end of it. A lovely, heart-wrenching, and quietly moving play.
  • Floats
    4 Jun. 2021
    A lovely, lovely play about how we deal with heartbreak long after the damage has been done. Sickles beautifully captures the tension, the yearning, and the agony that quietly simmers when an important figure from your past returns to ask what feels like the impossible. Carefully calibrated dialogue and subtle humor. Gorgeous!
  • The Fierce Urgency Of Now (Radio Script)
    1 Apr. 2021
    A light, breezy, yet poignant story about getting over one's fears to attain what one wants most in life. DeVita's dialogue is sharp and pointed, but it's not afraid to tap into the complex emotions of its protagonist. DeVita is also willing to let his protagonist be flawed--Kyle is often short-tempered and snarky, but he's also dedicated to his work (for good and for ill) and deeply cares for his friends and co-workers. His relationship with Dodo in particular feels honest and raw. This is a play that's not afraid of sentimentality, but never feels false or schmaltzy.
  • The Silence of My Lonely Room
    20 Mar. 2021
    How much violence and trauma can a friendship survives? In this brief play, Sickles gives us two men forever linked by a horrifying event that changed their lives forever. Sickles masterfully parses out information in a way that lets the audience put the puzzle pieces together. He is also wonderfully sympathetic in his characterizations--he neither demonizes nor heroizes either of the two characters. Difficult to watch, but hopeful in its bittersweet, yet believable conclusion.
  • Alice in Neverland
    17 Mar. 2021
    I saw a reading of this play via the Notre Dame College Performing Arts New Works Festival.

    A very charming, hilarious, and boundlessly creative mashup of Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. This play teaches young audiences about critical thinking and the importance of making the most of the time we have. Simple to stage, this play is perfect for TYA touring companies!
  • The Non-Canonical Adventures of Luca and Bowie
    11 Mar. 2021
    Bonkers, off-the-rails, wild, wacky, trippy... These are only a few adjectives I would use to describe this play. St. James proves a master of spontaneous, unhinged playwriting that somehow manages to make sense in the world they create--consistency through inconsistency, if you will. In any case, this is an absolute blast to read (and makes me want to watch "The Wizard of Oz" while stoned).
  • The Last Night of January
    11 Mar. 2021
    A gentle slice-of-life piece filled with optimism, hope, and longing. Optimism and hope for a new administration, yes. But longing for the people the pandemic has separated us from. A lovely and intimate play (even as it crosses state lines).
  • It's Confusing, These Days (an election week companion)
    11 Mar. 2021
    This pandemic has been an emotional roller coaster for many of us. The fleeting moments of joy are often outnumbered by the moments of fear, dread, and horror. In the final piece of their Goddamn Small Affair trilogy, St. James precisely captures how these emotions figure into the minutiae of every day life. In exploring how millennials deal with an older generation that doesn't always try to understand them, to problematic familial devotion, to simply coping with one's own mental health, St. James' work here displays strong compassion and conviction.
  • Shrike and Magpie
    1 Mar. 2021
    This short play is absolutely delightful! It will charm anyone who loves a good heist story to a surprisingly romantic comedy. I can only imagine how much fun it would be to perform either of these roles--they both get some killer, badass, hilarious dialogue. Great fun!

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