Recommended by John Busser

The truth hurts, doesn't it? And by hurt, I mean side-splitting, gut-busting laughter hurt from Scott Sickles deranged exorcism film spoof. Baby Harold was demonic (in a way, just ask Melissa) BEFORE a real demon took up residence. And now everyone gets to suffer the consequences, from the put-upon dad, the hunky priest brought in to combat the demon, and mom's bestie who gets to learn some uncomfortable truths about having children of your own. In the end though, everyone gets what they want (except the demon of course) including the audience. A beast of a winner.

If you need further proof that having children is like going off to war, look no further than this cracker of a monologue by Chris Plumridge. It exudes an almost battlefront weariness as Sophie drinks to ease her troubles, the hand, a reminder that her battles have left some scars. Plus, that great title!

Timing is everything here. Even when it's not. Becky's transformation comes just when she doesn't need it (at least according to Gerald). But better late than never though, right? Vivian Lermond once again proves she is is a master of romantic comedy, the more awkward, the better.

I reviewed this play back in 2023. In my review I said "I would think HEARING it would be terrifying." I was right. Thanks to Chris Plumridge's new RubySky Productions, I was able to hear a truly unsettling version of this play. Definitely what you DON'T see is way more disturbing than anything you WOULD see. A very loud THUMBS UP for this one, Chris!

THIS.

That was chilling. To watch the younger Stu slowly fall under Vince's spell. No violence, no physical force, just the underlying threat and the implications of it, simply stated. Ken Love has written some devastating dialogue here, and the characters are both instantly relatable. Vince may not be the "real" Devil, but he sure knows how to deal like one.

Sometimes the closest ties are strung between the widest gaps. And in today's charged society, those ties and those gaps are being stretched further apart. The three women depicted here in Nora Louise Syran's gathering are anything but on the same page. So when Charlotte has had quite enough of it and lays it all out about the amount of bullshit people are throwing at one another, I was so onboard with her. A satisfying conclusion to be sure. Corn should be the ONLY thing these women are shucking towards each other.

Okay, this did indeed make me laugh. My two favorite lines? "it’s a clown car." (Great punchline!) And "You can’t just fling off your bra in the middle of the international house of pancakes! Somebody might
see, internationally!". Claire Dettloff has written some great roles for younger actors here. I think this would be great to see staged for the physical comedy alone.

Is it satire? Not sure, especially in today's political climate. Is it dark? In some ways I suppose. Is it entertaining? Oh Hell, yes! Brian Cern has hit upon a sure-fire way top get yourself through the BS of what our political grindhouse has become these days. The four characters here have what can best be described as "political dis-gorge" at the state of elections. We're starting to get vending machines in grocery stores selling ammunition (I know, it's insane), so maybe having liquor and vomit bags at voting centers isn't far behind.

I am so glad I didn't look at the description ahead of time. I thought this would be an enjoyably ordinary interaction between travelers and a friendly denizen of the area. Scott Sickles doesn't have time for the ordinary though. Oh no. I'm not going to give it away though. Read this one knowing nothing, and you'll see a writer who knows how to engage you in ways you didn't see coming.