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Ben Rosenblatt

Recommended by Ben Rosenblatt

  • Effie by TJ Young
    13 Jul. 2020
    “ So much depth, pain and need for two actors to sink their teeth into. For all the difficult words that are spoken in this short play - of which there are a lot - there is subtext in triplicate. Young has a knack for exploring difficult conversations between characters with opposing value systems. My heart still aches, as I replay this scene in my mind, down to the last stage direction, in which one character is still trying to connect. But sadly, no happy outcome could possibly ring true and Young had the courage keep it real. ”
  • STUFFED by TJ Young
    13 Jul. 2020
    “ This piece kept me on its toes, the path getting darker with each barbed exchange before reaching its ill-fated conclusion. These are two people who simply aren't compatible but clearly have real love for each other, even if they aren't able to show it anymore. You get the sense they've had similar conversations over and over and that it breaks their hearts anew each time. All this pathos while providing some genuine laugh moments as well. A very sincere play that rings true in every moment. ”
  • Bump In The Night (10-min version) by John Mabey
    13 Jul. 2020
    “ Mabey has an excellent sense of rhythm. His crisp, clever dialogue with well-timed punchlines had me chuckling out loud numerous times. This is a charming play about the lengths we'll go to find and preserve love, and it wins bonus points for its insightful comedy. So much fun! ”
  • Cast List by Emily Hageman
    13 Jul. 2020
    “ This is a perfectly captured reminder of a specific time in any theatre kid's life. I am so jealous of New Star. Ha! What a fun opportunity for a cast of High Schoolers, or a cast of nostalgic adults to relive a treasured time in life. I'm still smiling. ”
  • Greed (or the alligator play) by Jennifer O'Grady
    13 Jul. 2020
    “ This piece is both funny and thoughtful. Written about a specific and important environmental issue, it also calls gentrification and early American land expansion to mind, as it explores humanity's Greed. There's a refreshing casualness to the energy of the Alligator and the quirky rhythm of Corey and Cameron's relationship is written to perfection, highlighting it's superficiality. This would be so fun to see on stage. Well done! ”
  • Before The Fire by TJ Young
    13 Jul. 2020
    “ A tense and painful drama which looks back at the ugliness of racism in the 1950s. The terribly sad and infuriating part is how it feels it easily could've been written about the present. This is a vital piece about a man trying to exercise restraint as he's needled and pressed to the limits of his patience. Lean into the hurt of Before the Fire and don't look away. Excellently written and powerful. ”
  • Not Really (Little Star) by Toby Malone
    12 Jul. 2020
    “ This monologue of a man processing a miscarriage is lush with pure, heartfelt, vulnerable honesty. Palpable pangs of regret, confusion and the self-loathing that comes from being unable to feel. Malone's use of repetition is powerful. Impressive in being poetic and heightened but real and conversational at the same time. Heartbreaking and healing. Relatable to anyone who's ever grieved a loss of any kind. ”
  • The Dogs by Scott Stolnack
    12 Jul. 2020
    “ A powerful experimental piece, rich with vivid imagery. Stolnack examines how we are all moments away from becoming our opposite. Our status is as fragile as our state of mind. The writing is intense and provides an exciting challenge for actors, directors, designers and audience alike. Raw emotionally and psychologically, this piece made me think and feel. I look forward to reading more of Scott's work. ”
  • To Change a Tampon: How It Is, and How It Should Be by Emily Hageman
    12 Jul. 2020
    “ Incredibly funny and over-the-top, this play goes straight for the jugular. Biting satire. Gosh, men are such juvenile boys. There's so much truth in the humor that it hurts. Hageman takes the couched language we hear every day and exposes it as the bullshit misogyny that it is. I love her plays. ”
  • Welcome to the House of Karma by Cindi Sansone-Braff
    11 Jul. 2020
    “ Right out of the gate, we are introduced to the scathingly funny but woefully intolerant Cathy Cloony-Collucci, an exceptionally fun character for a middle-aged actress to explore. She proves 1000 times more evil witch than all her Wiccan tenants combined as she attempts to drive them from their home. We sympathize with her over the hardships of being an aging actress in Hollywood, but by the end we realize that maybe she's exactly where she's supposed to be. I recommend this play for its zany, finely formed characters and deftly written dialogue. ”

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