J. Merrill Motz

J. Merrill Motz

J. Merrill Motz (rhymes with boats) is a playwright and performer based in Minneapolis/St. Paul who has been creating his own spin on solo shows as Paper Soul since 2013, appearing in the Minnesota Fringe with BOXCUTTER HARMONICA, REWIND-A-BUDDY, DING DONG! SING SONG!, THE JACKPOT HOUR WITH(OUT) JACK POWER, KNIFESLINGIN’!, and SOFT. He has toured to New Orleans, Cincinnati, and New York and hopes to continue...
J. Merrill Motz (rhymes with boats) is a playwright and performer based in Minneapolis/St. Paul who has been creating his own spin on solo shows as Paper Soul since 2013, appearing in the Minnesota Fringe with BOXCUTTER HARMONICA, REWIND-A-BUDDY, DING DONG! SING SONG!, THE JACKPOT HOUR WITH(OUT) JACK POWER, KNIFESLINGIN’!, and SOFT. He has toured to New Orleans, Cincinnati, and New York and hopes to continue touring someday when it is safe to go back outside.

He received a Master's degree from Ohio University's Professional Playwriting Program and a BFA in Acting from Central Michigan University. His plays have appeared through Freshwater Theatre, Northland Words, UW Fon Du Lac, KCACTF, Swandive Theatre's Veggie Stock, and the Seabury Quinn, Jr. Playwrights' Festival. He was shortlisted in 2012 for The Old Vic New Voices TS Eliot US/UK Playwright Exchange. He has had his fiction and nonfiction featured on Consequence of Sound, Plots With Guns, LitReactor, and Revolver's Write Fight. He co-hosts Workplace Drama (a monthly storytelling show with Les Kurkendaal-Barrett), serves on the board of Theatre Pro Rata, sits on the Artist Committee for Minnesota Fringe, and appears quasi-regularly as part of Encyclopedia Show Minneapolis. By day Motz can be found working in Minneapolis, by night he's probably a private eye...or at least drinking like one.

Plays

  • Knifeslingin'!
    Ted "Critter" Montana knows the streets & will teach YOU how to survive: no guns, no karate chops, just KNIVES. Think you got what it takes to be the next Knifeslinger, hotshot?
    1989 A.D. The Streets, USA. Crime runs rampant. Nowhere is safe. Fear is winning. And the world is about to be rocked by “KNIFESLINGIN’! Ted “Critter” Montana Teaches YOU to Survive the Streets”. Critter walks The...
    Ted "Critter" Montana knows the streets & will teach YOU how to survive: no guns, no karate chops, just KNIVES. Think you got what it takes to be the next Knifeslinger, hotshot?
    1989 A.D. The Streets, USA. Crime runs rampant. Nowhere is safe. Fear is winning. And the world is about to be rocked by “KNIFESLINGIN’! Ted “Critter” Montana Teaches YOU to Survive the Streets”. Critter walks The Warrior’s Path. Critter is not afraid to stand his ground. And Critter carries more knives than you can even count, tough guy. If you think you got what it takes, pop KNIFESLINGIN’! into your VCR, strap up your switchblades, and pay attention. It just might save your life.
    Cut to: 2017. The Warrior’s Path has lead Critter to a Grand Jury hearing in Minneapolis. Can he knifesling his way out of this?
  • SOFT
    The dating app said it was looking for "nice guys" and "hopeless romantics" for a new experiment...so here he waits, ready for anything. He is desperate. He is soft. He will bleed.
    ***CAUTION***
    SOFT CONTAINS: Violence, blood & gore, swears galore, misogyny, male fragility, & mansplaining.
    In all seriousness, SOFT contains potentially triggering content &...
    The dating app said it was looking for "nice guys" and "hopeless romantics" for a new experiment...so here he waits, ready for anything. He is desperate. He is soft. He will bleed.
    ***CAUTION***
    SOFT CONTAINS: Violence, blood & gore, swears galore, misogyny, male fragility, & mansplaining.
    In all seriousness, SOFT contains potentially triggering content & unsettling subject matter.
    SOFT is definitely not for children. But talk to them about it afterwards.
    PS - SLYDE is not a real dating app, but it might be based on one.
  • The Jackpot Hour With(out) Jack Power
    It's The Jackpot Hour with Jack Power, America's #1 game show! Even though Jack Power has left to host his own talk show, The Jackpot Hour with Jack Power must go on...so now, welcome your new host, NOT Jack Power!
    Meet Cliff Kunkel. He's NOT Jack Power, but he's the new host of The Jackpot Hour with Jack Power, America's #1 game show, now that Jack Power has left to try his hand...
    It's The Jackpot Hour with Jack Power, America's #1 game show! Even though Jack Power has left to host his own talk show, The Jackpot Hour with Jack Power must go on...so now, welcome your new host, NOT Jack Power!
    Meet Cliff Kunkel. He's NOT Jack Power, but he's the new host of The Jackpot Hour with Jack Power, America's #1 game show, now that Jack Power has left to try his hand at replacing Johnny Carson with his own talk show, "Jack Chats!".
    Except Cliff doesn't have any hosting experience...and he kind of doesn't know the rules of the show, and oh yeah, The Jackpot Hour with Jack Power is filmed live for some reason.
  • Ding Dong! Sing Song!
    So Nana is turning 95, or you feel like quitting your job, or maybe propose to your girlfriend at prom. Call the ding-dong who sings songs! He'll sing your greetings for you perfectly, or maybe not, guaranteed!

    The ding-dong who sings songs will dress up.
    The ding-dong who sings songs will dress down.
    He will twist & shout,
    He will shake it all about,
    He will...
    So Nana is turning 95, or you feel like quitting your job, or maybe propose to your girlfriend at prom. Call the ding-dong who sings songs! He'll sing your greetings for you perfectly, or maybe not, guaranteed!

    The ding-dong who sings songs will dress up.
    The ding-dong who sings songs will dress down.
    He will twist & shout,
    He will shake it all about,
    He will bust a move
    And rock a groove.

    He may, if he feels like it, even deliver your specialized custom telegram message...the way he wants to, anyway.

    But he will, definitely, NOT take your "unsophisticated" opinions and disagreements on his "art".

    And he will, definitely, talk about all you Philistines on his podcast.
  • The Beacon From Belle Isle
    The Beacon From Belle Isle illustrates a unique time in Michigan’s history, as the great city of Detroit files for bankruptcy and its most precious memories and iconic landmarks (including, perhaps, Belle Isle) are in danger of being stripped away and sold to the highest bidder.
    Flavored with magical realism and framed in vignettes that range from unflinching candor to whimsical history, The Beacon From...
    The Beacon From Belle Isle illustrates a unique time in Michigan’s history, as the great city of Detroit files for bankruptcy and its most precious memories and iconic landmarks (including, perhaps, Belle Isle) are in danger of being stripped away and sold to the highest bidder.
    Flavored with magical realism and framed in vignettes that range from unflinching candor to whimsical history, The Beacon From Belle Isle‘s search for a metaphorical lighthouse drives an exploration of Michigan’s growth, decline, and search for a new collective direction.
  • The Roommate
    Fisher and Tom have an arrangement. Fisher won't get in Tom's way, Tom won't get on Fisher's nerves.

    This arrangement is bogus.

    Good thing Tom's long-distance girlfriend Courtney isn't going to get in the middle of things...oh, wait...

    What if Pinter had written the Odd Couple? You don't wanna know...
  • Like A Record Baby
    A bridesmaid dances at a wedding. She hasn't left the dance floor all night, even. The DJ thinks he's got a chance with her. She disagrees. Good thing he can spin MAGIC on his DJ rack!

    ...No, honest.

    Wait, where are you going?
  • Strings
    Jen sits alone at a bar, indecisive about her next drink. Tony would like to get to know her better. Jen has no interest in talking to Tony. Good thing Tony brought backup: his ultimate wingman, the Big Bad Wolf...Puppet. Now Jen is talking...but not to Tony, just to the Wolf Puppet. Nice pick, Tony.
  • Sky Fleeting
    This is the night Sharon has been waiting for...Warren is finally taking her all the way up to be alone on Lover's Lane! And as soon as he shuts up, it will finally...as soon as he shuts up, they can finally...he's still going...GEEZ, Warren, take the hint already!
  • Stole Home
    Bottom of the 8th, down by one, two outs, man on third. Rollo's at the plate. Rollo's 0-5 today. But don't worry about Rollo. Worry about that runner on third. He's taking a mighty big lead off the bag, and he's fiddling with his necklace. Hope he's paying attention to the ball...but who's he talking to out there...?