Recommended by Patrick Gabridge

  • You Haven't Changed A Bit
    9 Nov. 2020
    What a sweet short play. So poignant without being maudlin. A piece like this takes a delicate touch, and Donna handles it so adeptly.
  • Maytag Virgin
    15 Jan. 2020
    I've gotten to both read and see a production of this play, and it's absolutely delightful. It's a pleasure to watch a playwright as skillful as Cefaly send these two characters on the journey towards love, with plenty of bumps along the way, and surrounded by so much humor and rich language. Masterfully done.
  • The Last Wide Open
    10 Jan. 2020
    What a fun, lively, and lovely play. Cefaly’s use of language and translation and music makes this a love story that you really want to listen to. The trick to great dialogue isn’t writing like people really talk, it’s writing verbal music that the audience wants to soak up/soak in. Great playfulness in this piece.
  • The Mermaid Hour
    7 Jan. 2020
    This play is just lovely. Yes, it’s about a trans kid, but it’s also about the challenges of parenthood (any kid) and what happens when your kid isn’t the kid you dreamed about, but you love them anyway (loved Bird’s Fenway story). The writing is sometimes just so beautiful—I’ve gone back and reread Vi’s mermaid hour speech several times. There’s so much love and hope here. I hope it gets done again and again.
  • The Mermaid Hour
    7 Jan. 2020
    This play is just lovely. Yes, it’s about a trans kid, but it’s also about the challenges of parenthood (any kid) and what happens when your kid isn’t the kid you dreamed about, but you love them anyway (loved Bird’s Fenway story). The writing is sometimes just so beautiful—I’ve gone back and reread Vi’s mermaid hour speech several times. There’s so much love and hope here. I hope it gets done again and again.
  • Alabaster
    6 Jan. 2020
    It’s easy to see why this play is getting the huge rolling world premiere it so well deserves. We get deep, deep into these characters, and their wounds and their longing, and loss. There is hope. And even more importantly, it’s one of those scripts that when you read it, you think, “I really want to see this fleshed out on stage, in three dimensions, and see what a great cast and team will do with it.” I hope to see it someday soon.
  • Queen of Sad Mischance
    3 Jan. 2020
    I love how fierce and smart both women are, as all three of the characters are struggling to make sense or find footholds in the world. The relationships are complex and feel so real, and the pace of the piece keeps on moving forward, even as Beverly fades away. This feels like a piece that I expect to see done again and again.
  • Black & White/Two Puzzles Walk Into A Bar
    2 Jan. 2020
    Oh, this one is a lot of fun. And I’m a sucker for any play with good number play in it. Funny for everyone, but a special treat for puzzle lovers. I can see why this one has been done a lot.
  • Christmas Eve Eve
    12 Dec. 2018
    What a lovely piece. There's not a false note in here between the two sisters, who have such a strong, caring relationship. It's tricky to write play about grief without tipping too far into sentimentality, but this Laura Pittenger pulls it off with this short script. The audience is along for the entire ride, pulling for the future.
  • The Gift of da Maggies
    11 Dec. 2018
    What a lovely piece! It's got both humor and true human connection, love even. A wonderful modern update, that has just the right kind of O'Henry twist to it.

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