Recommended by Adam Richter

A beautiful and poignant monologue that is all the more powerful in its brevity. Steve Martin pens an incredible piece about coming to terms with the difference between god and religion. The ending is touching and perfect.

Which sounds more fun: Sitting in a courtroom for weeks on end, or hiking the Cliffs of Moher? For Franklin and Kate, two spry, energetic and fun characters, the choice is easy. The way they deftly play on stereotypes about older people is comic gold. This is a fun piece for audiences and older actors would have a blast with this. Bravo, Deb!

[2025-02-25]

This is a remarkable monologue, thought-provoking and rich with imagery. "Dear Diary" imagines a horrifying future and reminds those of us in the present to value the time we have and what we do with it.
I really liked this piece and will be thinking about it the rest of the day. Bravo, Chris!

Philip Middleton Williams' short play had me guffawing. What a great comedy about aging and the subversion of expectations. Fred has given Johnny the greatest retirement gift of all: A mental image that will stay with him forever. This is a delightful short play.

[2025-02-16]

Julie Brandon paints a lovely and heartbreaking picture of grief in this short play. I especially love how the reveal happens in the first third of the play, giving the characters room to process it and what it means through the rest. This short piece would be a moving and excellent addition to any festival.

[2025-02-16]

Terrifying. Simply terrifying.

"Female Problems" might seem like a MAGA choad's dream, it spells out an all-too-realistic future for the rest of us. Take Debra A. Cole's short play as a warning.

[2025-02-14]

The afterlife may be a drag, but Manny and Janine make it a lot more fun. "Just Sit Down" is a terrifically funny short about what happens when we die and we're not prepared.
I so enjoyed the banter among the three characters in this, and you have to feel for the Ferryman, just trying to do their job (and avoid a much less pleasant one).

Pro tip: Always have some coins in your pocket, just in case.

[2025-02-14]

Debra A. Cole's "Sunrise" is a vivid snapshot of society today: a police officer falsely asserting his authority over a man of color without knowing all the facts. The dialogue is crisp and the tension builds nicely until we get to the surprising and satisfying twist at the end. This two-hander would be a great addition to any short-play festival, and would leave audiences thinking long after they left the theater.

[2025-02-12]

Good thing the mayor in this play is unnamed, because he could be any mayor of any city. In "Press Conference," you have to feel for poor Leonard, who has the unenviable task of explaining what happened to his boss. This play gets funnier and funnier with each line — a treat for any actor, and especially for any audience. Bravo!

Debra A. Cole's sublime talent for pacing is on display in this entertaining short that turns on a dime into something much more serious. The girls in this play are wonderfully complex, and their story is one that should be performed everywhere — but especially for other pre/teen girls.