←

Doug DeVita

Recommended by Doug DeVita

  • Don't Laugh. It's Funny. by Nathaniel Foster
    19 Oct. 2020
    “ A stunner. What could have been chaotic and depressing is buoyed by Foster's snappy inventiveness; a dark story, yes, but told with such a light, almost stream-of-consciousness air that we laugh even as we choke back tears and/or gasp in horror. A wonderful showcase for two actors, and a gift for an imaginative director. ”
  • The 5th Musketeer (full-length) by Paco José Madden
    19 Oct. 2020
    “ What a fun piece, full of wit and derring-do, fully in the spirit of Alexandre Dumas but expertly laced with issues that give it a sense of contemporary urgency. There are lots of opportunities for inventive staging and performances, as well as a great central role for an actress. Exciting and delightful, I can imagine what fun it would be to watch, and I hope I have that opportunity soon. ”
  • Small Jokes About Monsters by Steven Strafford
    16 Oct. 2020
    “ Right from its breathtakingly paced opening, Strafford grabs by the nuts and doesn't let go. Stark, using humor like a knife, has written an uncompromising, heartbreaking piece in which the family secrets are truly devastating. This long night's journey into even darker night shatters with its deeply cutting emotional bluntness. I'd love to see this staged. ”
  • The Late Mrs. Gabler by Brandon Urrutia
    16 Oct. 2020
    “ Any playwright who has the audacity to put Hedda Gabler and Elphaba in the same universe – and make it work – is a writer to be watched. (Full disclosure, I love the book "Wicked." The musical... not so much. And I do love the play HEDDA GABLER.) This monologue, in which Hedda gives it to all the men who have brought her to the final moments of her life, is erudite, witty, at times hilariously funny, and quite a gift to the actresses who will eventually play the role. I'd love to see this staged. ”
  • Zoomerlandia by Diana Burbano
    15 Oct. 2020
    “ What leaps out in this incisive short Zoomedy from Diana Burbano is the universality of her work here. Yes, the characters in this piece are all Millennials, but the conversation they're having is one that has been had countless times by twenty somethings on the brink of taking on the world and finding something barring their way; in this case, it is COVID, which is of course a formidable opponent. But nonetheless, Burbano finds the melancholy thread of frustration we're all feeling (and the general sense of Zoom-fatigue) and spins it into something we can all hold onto, together. Wondrous. ”
  • The Flying Dutchman Boards the Staten Island Ferry by Larry Rinkel
    14 Oct. 2020
    “ Larry Rinkel. The Flying Dutchman. The Staten Island Ferry. A mis-matched young gay couple. What's not to love? ”
  • Amna (a monologue) by Daniel Olivas
    12 Oct. 2020
    “ Daniel Olivas draws us in with his poetic, gently lyrical suppositions based on feelings engendered by old family photographs, and before one realizes it, he's turned the tables with adroit, ferocious skill; we feel even more for Amna, and her horrifying story leaves us both shattered by her, and for her. A powerful monologue that resonates with fierce passion, and a wonderful opportunity for a gifted actress. ”
  • The Last Great Act of Mankind by Scott Sickles
    12 Oct. 2020
    “ Sickles is in fine form with this apocalyptic dark comedy. Mixing nihilism and lust in equal doses, he creates a world on the brink of destruction that, while terrifying, is not without its tender, beautiful, and deeply human moments. We should all be lucky enough to go out with this kind of Sicklesian style. ”
  • Happily Ever After by Jeanne Johnston
    11 Oct. 2020
    “ All couples have a dance they do, choreographed and polished after years of being together; in this charming and beautifully handled little gem, a clueless couple, married after a whirlwind series of events that could hardly be called a courtship, are alone for the first time. As they negotiate the uncertainties about their futures and take the first steps of the dance they will do for the rest of their lives, we watch, enchanted by the naiveté of the couple and the gentle but piercing wit with which Johnston tells their story. It's sheer romantic fun. ”
  • honey, jasmine, cedrón by Ezequiel González Camaño
    10 Oct. 2020
    “ Set in a dystopian future not unlike our present day – but with a "benevolent" dictator instead of, well, y'all know... – Gonzalez' monologue (intriguingly written to be gender-neutral) shocks from how "normal" it all seems, even as the signs keep piling up until it's too late and we're caught in the trap. Intriguing, even funny at times, this monologue is a terrific piece of performance art, and should have a life in a multitude of arenas, from traditional stages to bars to living rooms and beyond. Great stuff. ”

Pages