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Peter Fenton

Recommended by Peter Fenton

  • A Tree Grows in Longmont by Philip Middleton Williams
    20 Jul. 2023
    “ What's the one lesson everyone tells you when you start writing? "Write what you know." Dang it, Philip Middleton Williams has delivered one of the most brutally intimate pieces of theater I've ever read with A Tree Grows in Longmont. We put ourselves into our work, to be sure, but this is on a whole new level. What a powerful story of love, heartbreak, and the writing process. A must read for gay men of any age, and for anyone who wishes to appreciate Philip Middleton Williams both as the person and the playwright. ”
  • Any Second Now by Philip Middleton Williams
    16 Jul. 2023
    “ Writer’s block is hell. This quick-witted ten-minute meta comedy really captured for me what it must be like on “the other side” of our imagination as playwrights—and how it must feel to be pushed to the side as a ”supporting character” and much more unsettlingly, how it feels to wonder if and when you, too, will become a cliche ”
  • Refracted Light by Dana Hall
    15 Jul. 2023
    “ Dana Hall's Refracted Light is a poignant slice-of-life coming-of-age drama sort of in the vein of a LADY BIRD, but the coming-of-age arc that really pulled me in was the mother's. Hall has a wonderful way of illustrating the very real, incredibly primal fears we have of abandonment through the role of Lucy. I also especially love the intimate scene-by-scene way this play is presented, melancholy with a twinge of comedy—true to life itself. Highly recommend! (P.S. the Act I finale exchange between Becky and Penny is worth the entire read. We could all use an Aunt Becky!) ”
  • HUMAN REMAINS by Melissa Milich
    24 Jun. 2023
    “ Melissa Milich has written a deliciously dark screwball comedy with HUMAN REMAINS! All three actors in this piece have such a fun responsibility to play out an emotional roller coaster of greed, death, and absurdity. This one will be a lot of fun for each actor, the director, and the audience alike. Well done! ”
  • Today's América by Zareh Artinian
    17 Jun. 2023
    “ I want the teacher from the beginning of this play to give every pre-show speech at every show! Today’s America is an intriguing, poignant 10-minute drama portraying two well-rounded characters in conflict—what more could you ask for? I appreciate that this sort of play can appeal to just about anyone along the gun control ideological continuum. Well done! ”
  • Unmarried Man by Emmy Kuperschmid
    14 Jun. 2023
    “ In UNMARRIED MAN, Emmy Kuperschmid offers a scathing parody of shows like The Bachelor, going after it with all her refined darkly comedic chops that hit the reader in all the right places. While the comedy is largely absurdist (a breadstick ceremony for a show sponsored by The Olive Garden, the titular Unmarried Man bringing the phrase "my dead fiance" in almost every one of his interactions, among other bits), the commentary on women's place in reality tv is pitch-perfect and all these weirdos are lovable in their own ways. Highly recommended! ”
  • Shiva for an Atheist by Darrin Friedman
    30 May. 2023
    “ They say those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it—and no mantra could be more true for this poignant drama by Darrin Friedman! This is the second piece I've read by Darrin and the thing I appreciate most about his style is his ability to create a world of characters that aren't black and white, but so many nuanced shades of grey. Hilde is a wonderfully complex (and often funny!) character who has lived a storied life whose audience (her family and those watching the play) will do well to listen and learn from. Well done! ”
  • The Ghost Before Christmas by Richard Thompson
    24 May. 2023
    “ Richard Thompson has done something incredible with this piece... he made Dickens feel fresh! I came away from this retelling of a lesser-known work from "the inventor of Christmas" with an appreciation for both Thompson's dialogue (and form!) as well as the themes of the piece: we can only truly love when we make ourselves vulnerable. A great alternative if you want to stage a new but familiar-feeling Christmas piece with a wonderful redemption arc. A Yuletide triumph! ”
  • Baker's Dozen: 13 Gay Plays and Monologues by Donald E. Baker
    29 Apr. 2023
    “ I love the range in this collection from Donald E. Baker. Something very important about telling the stories of queer people—or people of any marginalized group, for that matter—is that we hold a range of experiences and stories. We are not a monolith, and neither is the Baker's Dozen. Baker displays quite a range of his own writing ability pulling together this collection of well-realized short plays and monologues, illustrating it all: some romantic, some tragic—all authentic. I'd love to see these pieces performed one after the other for a complete night of theater. Well done! ”
  • Telling Dad (Ten Minute) by Paul Donnelly
    29 Apr. 2023
    “ A father willing to try to understand us—isn't that what we all dream of? So many queer stories are centered on replicating tragedy—by contrast, Paul Donnelly has written a ray of hope. A lovely and timely ten-minute piece modeling how the coming out conversation should go despite how hard Billie's life has been so far. I have in mind a few people who need to see this play and recognize trans people are people. Thank you, Paul, for modeling love and acceptance with this piece. ”

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