Recommended by John Busser

  •

    07.04.26 - What an idea with endless possibilities here. Dan Prillaman has come up with something so fun for the stage, that I can't see how it could miss. Actors would have an absolute field day with playing around with their gender identities in this way.

    07.04.26 - What an idea with endless possibilities here. Dan Prillaman has come up with something so fun for the stage, that I can't see how it could miss. Actors would have an absolute field day with playing around with their gender identities in this way.

  •

    07.04.26 - Absolutely NOT the kid-friendly show being staged in this delightfully bonkers retelling of the Great Chicago Fire, and we are the better for it. Dana Hall refuses to whitewash history but is most willing to take the piss out of those who do. And mid play there is a "Sylvia"-style rant that just flat-out cracked me up! I'd love to see anybody stage this just to get to that part. This was hilarious!

    07.04.26 - Absolutely NOT the kid-friendly show being staged in this delightfully bonkers retelling of the Great Chicago Fire, and we are the better for it. Dana Hall refuses to whitewash history but is most willing to take the piss out of those who do. And mid play there is a "Sylvia"-style rant that just flat-out cracked me up! I'd love to see anybody stage this just to get to that part. This was hilarious!

  •

    07.04.26 - Oh, I LOVED that ending (and the reasoning behind it)! Once again, I'm delighted to read Evan Baughfman's work. This Father-Son interaction/confrontation/reconciliation works on so many levels (just like a lasagna, right?) but it's got some hidden spice to it. That's what Evan does best, he presents you with an interesting dish and right before he serves it, he adds a dash of something extra to give it a zing! I'd love to see this staged in a night of horror shorts.

    07.04.26 - Oh, I LOVED that ending (and the reasoning behind it)! Once again, I'm delighted to read Evan Baughfman's work. This Father-Son interaction/confrontation/reconciliation works on so many levels (just like a lasagna, right?) but it's got some hidden spice to it. That's what Evan does best, he presents you with an interesting dish and right before he serves it, he adds a dash of something extra to give it a zing! I'd love to see this staged in a night of horror shorts.

  •

    07.04.26 - Now THAT was satisfying as hell. Evan Baughfman's work always satisfies. Blake gets his (surprisingly bloodless) comeuppance here after dissing Warren's work and the man himself. But it's better that way. Having Blake get a more permanent end would have cheated us of his humiliation. And maybe now Ivan will get his story told. This was fun from the get go. STAGE EVAN'S WORK NOW!

    07.04.26 - Now THAT was satisfying as hell. Evan Baughfman's work always satisfies. Blake gets his (surprisingly bloodless) comeuppance here after dissing Warren's work and the man himself. But it's better that way. Having Blake get a more permanent end would have cheated us of his humiliation. And maybe now Ivan will get his story told. This was fun from the get go. STAGE EVAN'S WORK NOW!

  •

    07.04.26 - Reading this play I couldn't help but get caught up in Kyle's dilemma. He's always 2 steps behind in everything. His relationship with his ex. His relationship with his son. Basically, Kyle is treading relationship waters and is sinking fast. Paul Donnelly gives us a man who tries to do the right thing in all the wrong ways, and that couldn't be a more universal truth for all of us. We're all just treading those waters trying to keep afloat. Let's hope he catches Melissa's lifeline.

    07.04.26 - Reading this play I couldn't help but get caught up in Kyle's dilemma. He's always 2 steps behind in everything. His relationship with his ex. His relationship with his son. Basically, Kyle is treading relationship waters and is sinking fast. Paul Donnelly gives us a man who tries to do the right thing in all the wrong ways, and that couldn't be a more universal truth for all of us. We're all just treading those waters trying to keep afloat. Let's hope he catches Melissa's lifeline.

  • John Busser: Mike's Best Man by Christopher Plumridge
    “

    06.22.26 - Unlike most best man speeches, this one was really funny. However, the true secret of Chris Plumridge's monologue here is that he hits ALL the right notes about what makes a best man toast legendary. Equal parts, heartfelt, cheesy, filled with plenty of inside baseball, a smattering of confounding recollections that only a handful of close friends would get, and yet somehow, universal enough for all attending to lift a glass, wink to the speaker and say, "You're so right!" Perfect!

    06.22.26 - Unlike most best man speeches, this one was really funny. However, the true secret of Chris Plumridge's monologue here is that he hits ALL the right notes about what makes a best man toast legendary. Equal parts, heartfelt, cheesy, filled with plenty of inside baseball, a smattering of confounding recollections that only a handful of close friends would get, and yet somehow, universal enough for all attending to lift a glass, wink to the speaker and say, "You're so right!" Perfect!

    ”
  • John Busser: The Rebellious Angels Enjoy Malört by Michael C. O'Day
    “

    06.22.26 - One of my few regrets was missing a reading of this at the Valdez Theatre Conference, but boy, am I happy I followed up with it here on NPX. This was an absolute delight to read. I'd never heard of Malort before but have since looked it up and brother, does it sound like Devil's brew of the finest kind. I absolutely loved all the characters here, and using improv players to perform a sort of recruitment/intervention was brilliant. Michael O'Day has given me Chicago Hope in Satan!

    06.22.26 - One of my few regrets was missing a reading of this at the Valdez Theatre Conference, but boy, am I happy I followed up with it here on NPX. This was an absolute delight to read. I'd never heard of Malort before but have since looked it up and brother, does it sound like Devil's brew of the finest kind. I absolutely loved all the characters here, and using improv players to perform a sort of recruitment/intervention was brilliant. Michael O'Day has given me Chicago Hope in Satan!

    ”
  • John Busser: Cathedrals (a monologue) by Scott Sickles
    “

    06.21.26 - Scott Sickles creates lasting art, as lasting as the stone sculptures he speaks of here. His writing is always chiseled beauty. He always seems to know just how much to take away from a solid block of an idea to reveal exactly what he needs to to tell his story. Here, the narrator tries to survive the pain of unrealized love amongst cold reminders of what beauty is. This is a wonderful monologue for an actor to try forming their own version of art onstage with.

    06.21.26 - Scott Sickles creates lasting art, as lasting as the stone sculptures he speaks of here. His writing is always chiseled beauty. He always seems to know just how much to take away from a solid block of an idea to reveal exactly what he needs to to tell his story. Here, the narrator tries to survive the pain of unrealized love amongst cold reminders of what beauty is. This is a wonderful monologue for an actor to try forming their own version of art onstage with.

    ”
  • John Busser: Quitter by Cody Goulder
    “

    06.21.26 - This firecracker of a monologue hits with the force of a nuclear bomb. Joelle is a force to be reckoned with, especially if you try to interrupt her smoke break. The dialogue is delivered with gusto and comic venom. Cody Goulder has channeled every nicotine-infused employee who's airspace the non-smokers have invaded, and his Joelle gives a lungful or three of unfiltered rebuttal. Terrific.

    06.21.26 - This firecracker of a monologue hits with the force of a nuclear bomb. Joelle is a force to be reckoned with, especially if you try to interrupt her smoke break. The dialogue is delivered with gusto and comic venom. Cody Goulder has channeled every nicotine-infused employee who's airspace the non-smokers have invaded, and his Joelle gives a lungful or three of unfiltered rebuttal. Terrific.

    ”
  • John Busser: Robot Graveyard by B.Z. Florida
    “

    06.21.26 - What a fascinating concept for a play. Robots (one human in the past) contemplate matters of life, death, the afterlife and confronting one's Maker. BZ Florida doles out much food for thought in a scant 11 pages, yet the play contains multitudes of ideas. I have a feeling this play would be much debated after any evening of shorts that featured it. Well done!

    06.21.26 - What a fascinating concept for a play. Robots (one human in the past) contemplate matters of life, death, the afterlife and confronting one's Maker. BZ Florida doles out much food for thought in a scant 11 pages, yet the play contains multitudes of ideas. I have a feeling this play would be much debated after any evening of shorts that featured it. Well done!

    ”