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Liz Dooley

Recommended by Liz Dooley

  • YANIQUE (SOME GIRL ON A PHONE CALL): A MONOLOGUE by Asher Wyndham
    12 Jun. 2019
    “ A chilling piece that shows the true cost of recent legislative actions, and highlights just who it is that ultimately suffers. The topic of reproductive rights is woven into the bigger part of Yanique’s story, allowing the message to get across on its own without falling into preachiness. The piece is full of clear imagery and specific details that bring Yanique and her world to life. I’m eager to see this performed; I can imagine the harrowing experience it would be for both an audience and the actor. Wyndam’s right—Yanique really does have something to say. ”
  • Carrying On by Lainie Vansant
    12 Jun. 2019
    “ This is a wonderful, child-appropriate exploration of grief—both the feeling of it, and helping others cope with it—that doesn’t talk down to children or devalue the grief that the characters are feeling. This comes through in the humor, especially: it’s sweet and funny without being jarring. Ida’s loss is honest and heartbreaking, as is that of her family. The character of Jac is also easy to relate to, and will give hope to those trying to ease friend’s suffering. I can see this helping a lot of kids cope with tragedy. ”
  • ROOF OF STARS by Candyce Lucien Rusk
    12 Jun. 2019
    “ The piece strikes a wonderful level of melancholy that never veers into depression or morbidity. The language adds a poetry to the morbid task that fits its emotional sensitivity, and highlights just how much Ney is in love with her work. A beautiful character study, and an unexpected take on the “day-in-the-life” play. ”
  • Tragedy Sells! by Jonathan O'Neill
    12 Jun. 2019
    “ Dark, twisted, fast-paced comedy where nobody is safe from lambast. The Greek Tragedy-esque structure makes the outrageous actions of the characters, and the resulting satire, hit that much harder. Vicious and funny, both in terms of individual moments (The Anchor’s description of what “the Hufflepuff” is still makes me laugh out loud two months after I first read it) and as a whole. ”
  • FORCEFULLY DENIED by Rachael Carnes
    12 Jun. 2019
    “ This play is powerful—disorienting and frustrating in a way that demands empathy, not just for Dr. Blasey-Ford, but for sexual assault survivors everywhere. The fact that it’s based on a true story, the clinical-caring walkthrough of the doctor’s actions, the use of court jargon—it all combines to put the audience in the head of a survivor. A truly striking five minutes of theatre. ”
  • Bury the Rest by Skye Robinson Hillis
    12 Jun. 2019
    “ A remarkable and intelligent exploration of the intersection of grief and politics. This play is full of messy, complicated relationships that are nonetheless rooted in affection. The characters’ political stances are equally loaded, and the shifting of viewpoints through and around the family’s trauma is fascinating to watch. And it all builds up to an explosive, well-earned finale. Skye Robinson Hillis deserves all the credit in the world for tackling as many issues and relationship dynamics are in this play, and keeping them balanced and impactful as is possible. I would love the chance to see this play performed. ”
  • #WeToo: a dialogue by Bryan Stubbles
    12 Jun. 2019
    “ A heartbreaking, necessary cross-section view of the #MeToo movement and the various forms sexual assault can come in. Without giving too much away, the play’s ending is disquietingly open in a way that rings bitterly true and serves as a powerful call to action. It is also one of the most true-to-life explorations of reconnecting on the Internet that I’ve seen in a long time. ”
  • Happiness is Homemade by Quinn Xavier Hernandez
    8 Apr. 2019
    “ The only thing more universal than food is oxygen. It’s a perfect vehicle to show a wide range of human experience, and Quinn Hernandez takes full advantage and delivers on all fronts—from the meticulous to the lonely to the competitive and beyond. Every scene hits with an electric balance of wit, energy, and humanity. And in the middle of it all are Martha and her foil—two characters who are a blast to root for (and against.) I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a comedic play, particularly an immersive one. ”
  • Slaying Holofernes by Emily McClain
    8 Apr. 2019
    “ I felt punched in the chest by this play in the best possible way. SLAYING HOLOFERNES is an empathetic yet unflinching look at the many different (and similar) faces of an extremely long-standing problem—sexual harassment/assault, and the headache that is trying to get justice in the aftermath. Dynamic, intense, and blunt without losing complexity, full of haunting imagery, and spearheaded by two female leads that it’s impossible not to root for. I sincerely hope that this play gets produced as soon as possible—I really do think we’ll all be better off for it. ”
  • Joan's Arc by Emily Hageman
    8 Apr. 2019
    “ Emily Hageman takes an unfortunate reality of American schools, and balances it wonderfully against an all-too-common tragedy to create something that is part-noir, part-drama, and part-character study. The story of Joan and her peers is a graceful and heartbreaking portrayal of grief and trauma among young people, full of complex and engaging characters. Mason in particular is a great new take on the “ghostly friend and mentor” character—I loved the constant sense of doubt about just how real and present he is. An incredible experience of a play that has inspired me to read more of Hageman's work. ”

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