Recommended by Jan Probst

  • A Man with Nothing to Lose
    23 Jun. 2022
    Evocative, at times horrifying, twist on Jane Austen's Persuasion. Exploring the dire circumstances of an un-housed population outside Portland's city limits in the not-so-distant future, Bolkvadze's three act play is incredibly timely.
  • Treachery Island: A Serial Play
    23 Jun. 2022
    When a reality TV show becomes a little too real. I was in the audience for a reading of episodes 1-3 of this series, and I'm hooked! Beautifully crafted characters and many laughs amidst a potentially serious and delightfully absurd situation.
  • Tucumcari Tonite!
    23 Jun. 2022
    Stereotypes are turned on their head in this delightful buddy comedy. Amidst a rather dire situation, the characters slowly reveal themselves with an awkward tenderness via incredibly well-crafted dialogue. The cultural references alone are worth the ride, but this play delivers so much more.
  • Trade With Klan
    2 Jan. 2022
    Set in a small Indiana town, not unlike the one in which I grew up, the deep roots of the Ku Klux Klan are revealed in this provocative play. Bigotry and intolerance drive some characters forward while creating difficult moments of choice for others. Lives and livelihoods are threatened. The parallels to our present time are nothing less than chilling. Brilliantly executed, with some surprising results. Read it. Stage it.
  • Dark Twist
    2 Jan. 2022
    Dark Twist gave me access to a world I know little about, and kept me engaged from start to finish. The layers of underbelly of the boarding school experience are slowly and insightfully revealed. Beautifully defined characters who can turn on a dime played with my allegiance and left me with the question: Do we ever truly rid ourselves of the demons of our past? This brilliant drama needs to be staged.
  • Going There
    7 Oct. 2021
    Philip Middleton Williams writes dialogue that makes you feel like you're in the room. Going There is no exception. This tender play about the choices we make poses the question, "What if..?"
  • Coming In
    24 Sep. 2021
    Mum serves up a strong cup of tea with enough French Fancies to feed the neighborhood, while Dad finally reveals something he forgot to mention, and their son announces a realization of his own. Change is in the air, and maybe the tea, in this delightfully quirky take on bringing the new love interest home to meet the parents.
  • Remember Me?
    18 Sep. 2021
    From a kitten on the ceiling to learning how the world views someone in a wheelchair, Remember Me is a witty, tender monologue that will remind you of your own vulnerabilities. Our bodies have so much to tell us, if only we would listen. And who doesn’t enjoy a talking ankle?
  • The Gun in Saint Margaret's Basement
    17 Aug. 2021
    In this surprising play, the conflict that arises at a church committee meeting over whether or not it’s proper to sell coffee to raise money for charity is put into perspective when an armed male intruder takes the five women hostage. Proclaiming to be an anti-gun activist while wielding a gun, Andrew believes God is working through him in some great plan. What ensues is a tension-filled drama about faith, the stories we hold as truth, and the use of violence to defend our beliefs.
  • The Lady Demands Satisfaction
    17 Aug. 2021
    A hilariously entertaining farce, that kept me on my toes, completely unable to guess at the brilliant and well earned finale. The intricate stage directions, detailing the possibilities for the most ridiculous of sword fights beckon any stage production to go full tilt. Strong female characters dominate the story, and aim the pointy end of the sword directly at the present. A whirlwind script with a tightly constructed plot that never fails to deliver. The Lady does indeed demand satisfaction - and gets it.

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