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Doug DeVita

Recommended by Doug DeVita

  • KINDERGARDEN by Emma Goldman-Sherman
    21 Dec. 2020
    “ Very few writers can turn almost unbearable pain into art with the visceral gut-punching precision of Emma Goldman-Sherman, and her short play KINDERGARDEN is a stunning work; intense, harrowing, and haunting, it may be her masterpiece. ”
  • Sweetness by Gary Sunshine
    20 Dec. 2020
    “ Dark, deeply felt, and beautifully written, Gary Sunshine’s SWEETNESS captures the agony and rage of being bullied with uncompromising honesty; one can’t help but feel for these kids — even the adults in this piece are children — and want to both participate in their revenge plans and step into the action to stop them from making a huge mistake. Tense and haunting, with sharply drawn characters, SWEETNESS is one helluva play. ”
  • The Janus Circle by Greg Hatfield
    18 Dec. 2020
    “ The bitchy, preening, and insecure egocentricity of actors (and I mean actors, not actresses) is sharply observed in this acidly affectionate spoof of Hollywood in the early 1950s. Hatfield captures the essence of the time and place beautifully, and his portraits of the actors in question are spot on. Fun. ”
  • No Believers by Roberta D'Alois
    18 Dec. 2020
    “ Roberta D'Alois has written a very interesting, experimental dram about faith that is full of heart – and heartbreak. Her dreamlike approach is well-suited to her concept and structure; the juxtaposition of the very real characters and the nightmarish events they experience against the surreal setting both grounds the work yet keeps it floating through your thoughts long after you've read it. The possibilities for imaginative staging abound, as do the opportunities for gifted actors. ”
  • Most Successful People by Gary Sunshine
    18 Dec. 2020
    “ Oh, to be 17 and everything in your world, particularly a high school yearbook popularity contest, is a high stakes event. Without a bit of condescension towards his teenaged characters, Sunshine perfectly captures their angst and somewhat skewed priorities yet also layers in sharp grains of truth about their future lives, at least the way they see them unfolding. One can't help but think how sad it would be if these feelings played out for them in their 70s... Brilliant stuff, hard hitting yet subtle at the same time. ”
  • Uncovering by Erin Mallon
    17 Dec. 2020
    “ Wow. To use a line in the play, "Shit is whack. Shit is so whack." Fascinating, horrifying, and intense, Mallon still manages to find some very funny moments to exploit in this sharp 10-minute piece that reads with the heft of a full-length. Terrific work. ”
  • Fascists and the People Who Kill Them by Kyle Smith
    17 Dec. 2020
    “ The tension and the laughs build steadily throughout this wonderfully terrifying dark comedy; set in a not-too-distant future that could still happen if we're not careful, Kyle Smith's dystopian ode to the fight against fascism is smart, engaging, frightening, and fall on the floor funny. And what's not to love about that? ”
  • In Mrs. Baker's Room by Stephen Kaplan
    3 Dec. 2020
    “ This short from Stephen Kaplan, essentially a living memory play, is so layered and nuanced it feels like a fast-moving full-length; one is left gobsmacked not only by how much is so skillfully packed into its 10 minute running time, but also at the depth of the emotions it wrings forth. Absolutely wonderful. ”
  • The High School Yearbook Picture of Dorian Gray by John Busser
    2 Dec. 2020
    “ John Busser busting on Dorian Gray? Yes, please! Pure, silly fun as only Busser can provide, with laugh-out-loud lines, wonderful re-imaginings of the characters, and a firm grasp of the satire with tongue firmly in cheek. Snap! ”
  • PASS THE AGGREVATION by Jack Levine
    1 Dec. 2020
    “ In the weird family sweepstakes, this group takes the top prize, mashing mom’s prize-winning meatloaf to smithereens. Levine delineates a family whose inability to focus and/or listen to each other with funny, yet heartbreaking skill. If this is a Sunday dinner, please don’t invite me to Thanksgiving. ”

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