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Philip Middleton Williams

Recommended by Philip Middleton Williams

  • Better Call Shoenstein by Morey Norkin
    19 Jul. 2024
    “ I'm of an age where stand-up comics were the staple of TV variety shows and Vegas acts as well as the Catskills summers and Miami Beach winters. It was old-school -- "Take my wife, please" -- and this quick and hilarious piece by Norkin & Busser -- a comedy duo if there ever was one -- pays tribute to the old days by going back to the really old days. You can't miss a word, and I chuckled at the timeless -- literally -- set-ups and rim-shots. Bravo! ”
  • Prompt 16 by Christopher Soucy
    12 Jul. 2024
    “ Yep. And this is why sobriety chips come in a variety of colors. ”
  • Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground by Richard Hellesen
    9 Jul. 2024
    “ I saw this performed by John Rubinstein and directed by Peter Ellenstein at the 2024 Valdez Theatre Conference. It is an amazing piece of theater, not just for historical value but also for bringing the man and his time alive. Dwight Eisenhower’s insight into history and what Americas role in the world is inspiring, even more so today. Thank you, Richard, it’s a beautiful play. ”
  • VETTING (a 10 minute comedy) by Marj O'Neill-Butler
    9 Jul. 2024
    “ I was treated to a fine performance of this charming and funny play at the Miami One-Acts Summer Session 24, and it brought the house down. Lois has it all planned out to meet the perfect man, checking all the right boxes. The unfortunate men, quirks and all, are no match for her requirements, but karma steps in and deals her a perfect payback. Although it is aimed at us older folks, there's no doubt that this scenario could apply to any age group, and so it should be. Brava, Marj! ”
  • Schroedinger: Into the Quantumverse by Rand Higbee
    7 Jul. 2024
    “ I was going to say that this was another one of Rand Higbee‘s quirky comedies, but no two plays of his are alike. But you really don’t know that until you actually hear the play. That’s in keeping with Schröedinger‘s experiments and Rand’s playwriting. I saw it read at the 2024 Valdez Theater Conference, and now I want to see it on stage. And for some strange reason, I want a cookie. ”
  • Manes Before Dames by Sam Heyman
    3 Jul. 2024
    “ If I didn't know better, I'd swear this was a conversation that I've overheard or even been a part of many times in the past: a coming-of-age moment that we all go through, whether we're human or leonine. By casting it the way Sam Heyman has and giving it the setting that he has, we are able to remove ourselves from our own experiences and see it objectively... and truthfully. The comic twist of making this about anthropomorphic lions adds to the insight: which one are we, and does pride goeth before the fall? ”
  • The Adventures of Uta, the Wandering Uterus by Tom Moran
    2 Jul. 2024
    “ I was treated to this hilarious anatomy lesson at the 2024 Valdez Theatre Conference. Tom Moran has a great gift for dry and understated humor and I enjoyed every moment of this exploration of human interaction with ourselves and our bodies. It was quite the organ recital. ”
  • The King in Yellow by Christopher Soucy
    30 Jun. 2024
    “ Even if you are unfamiliar with the genre of the Robert Chambers horror stories that is invoked by Christopher Soucy in this remarkable play, you will be drawn in to the world within a world... and another within that one. It was done in a masterful reading at the 2024 Valdez Theatre Conference, but I was also reminded of those cheesy and cheap horror movies of the past such as the cult classic "Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things." I can't wait to see it as a full production; it out-hammers Hammer Films. ”
  • The Bride in Blackout by Ward Kay
    29 Jun. 2024
    “ Ward Kay literally lights up the stage in reverse order with this take on pre-wedding jitters and farce in the dark, using all the slapstick and door-slamming devices that come with it. It's a short but hilarious romp that kept me in stitches at the 2024 Valdez Theatre Conference, and should become a regular at any short play festival. ”
  • Monster (Or #MeToo, Brute) by Marshall Logan Gibbs
    29 Jun. 2024
    “ Marshall Logan Gibbs has taken on a monster of a task: take one of Shakespeare's most-produced and quoted plays and turn it to 21st Century tale of hubris in a setting for those of us who don't live or die by social media influencers. Fast-paced, witty and well-crafted dialogue, and characters who really come alive make this one of the best pieces seen at the 2024 Valdez Theatre Conference. And for those of us who struggled with "Julius Caesar" in high school or grad school seminars, this brings it to life and hits the spot. ”

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