Recommended by John Busser

  • John Busser: INSERT TOKEN

    This is the kind of piece I love to see onstage. A tense two-hander with a sci-fi angle that doesn't seem so sci-fi the more you think about it. And while there can be a tendency to make a tech-driven play seem dry and uninteresting, Greg Burdick keeps the conversation lively and active while feeding you the tech part in a way that is engaging. I loved the idea of what those quarter machines are REALLY for. I played enough of them in my youth to connect with this wonderfully realized short piece.

    This is the kind of piece I love to see onstage. A tense two-hander with a sci-fi angle that doesn't seem so sci-fi the more you think about it. And while there can be a tendency to make a tech-driven play seem dry and uninteresting, Greg Burdick keeps the conversation lively and active while feeding you the tech part in a way that is engaging. I loved the idea of what those quarter machines are REALLY for. I played enough of them in my youth to connect with this wonderfully realized short piece.

  • John Busser: And Know They Love You

    This gets my highest recommendation (and I'm not making a bad joke there either). I was so caught up with what was going on that when it reached the end I said "NO!" out loud as I wanted to see where it went. Daphne Mintz has created a shockingly simple scenario that makes me wonder why hasn't this ever been addressed this way before. Maybe it has, but I am unaware of anyone else doing so. I would love to see this produced. Well done, Daphne.

    This gets my highest recommendation (and I'm not making a bad joke there either). I was so caught up with what was going on that when it reached the end I said "NO!" out loud as I wanted to see where it went. Daphne Mintz has created a shockingly simple scenario that makes me wonder why hasn't this ever been addressed this way before. Maybe it has, but I am unaware of anyone else doing so. I would love to see this produced. Well done, Daphne.

  • John Busser: The Morning Ménage

    What an absolutely charming way to start the day (or ten minute festival). I loved this piece by Tracey Jane. The perfect anthropomorphic companions we tend to overlook the importance of (well, okay, maybe not coffee), Jane's Bed, Alarm, and Coffee are vividly brought to life with all their own foibles and petty flaws. I would love to see somebody bring these characters to life on stage.

    What an absolutely charming way to start the day (or ten minute festival). I loved this piece by Tracey Jane. The perfect anthropomorphic companions we tend to overlook the importance of (well, okay, maybe not coffee), Jane's Bed, Alarm, and Coffee are vividly brought to life with all their own foibles and petty flaws. I would love to see somebody bring these characters to life on stage.

  • John Busser: The New Death

    Another fun piece from Jeff Dunne. I love his writing. It's fast, witty and he comes up with some truly absurd premises. Like this one. And I mean that in the best possible way.

    And it's cheesy. Also in the best possible way...

    Another fun piece from Jeff Dunne. I love his writing. It's fast, witty and he comes up with some truly absurd premises. Like this one. And I mean that in the best possible way.

    And it's cheesy. Also in the best possible way...

  • John Busser: The Unfortunate Teller

    HA! What a fun little 10 minute play. Dunne's writing is fast-paced and witty. Watching the wheels turn in the Faux-Fortune Teller's mind trying to come up with a plausible explanation for a tarot reading is comic gold. I could DEFINITELY foresee (see what I did there?) this in any 10 minute play festival.

    HA! What a fun little 10 minute play. Dunne's writing is fast-paced and witty. Watching the wheels turn in the Faux-Fortune Teller's mind trying to come up with a plausible explanation for a tarot reading is comic gold. I could DEFINITELY foresee (see what I did there?) this in any 10 minute play festival.

  • John Busser: PERMISSION

    I never saw the ending coming, and actually went back and reread this two more times just to analyze how this mother/daughter conversation changed from an everyday one to something deeper and more disturbing. The play's title takes on an added resonance once the real reason for this conversation comes out. This is a winner.

    I never saw the ending coming, and actually went back and reread this two more times just to analyze how this mother/daughter conversation changed from an everyday one to something deeper and more disturbing. The play's title takes on an added resonance once the real reason for this conversation comes out. This is a winner.

  • John Busser: Three Hours Until Departure

    I got jittery just reading this piece. Gacinski captures an all too familiar scenario here. Like a gambler hoping for the one lucky hand, his character Luis is putting all his hopes on a risky (in more ways than one) plan to smuggle drugs to pay off crippling debt. The final image left for the audience is both a sad reminder of Luis’ plight and a probable indicator that he’s going to be caught. Powerful stuff.

    I got jittery just reading this piece. Gacinski captures an all too familiar scenario here. Like a gambler hoping for the one lucky hand, his character Luis is putting all his hopes on a risky (in more ways than one) plan to smuggle drugs to pay off crippling debt. The final image left for the audience is both a sad reminder of Luis’ plight and a probable indicator that he’s going to be caught. Powerful stuff.

  • John Busser: 86 Jake (Short play)

    I HIGHLY recommend this lightning-fast 10 minute play. I'm a sucker for absurdist little stories like this and loved the resolution of it. I laughed my ass off a few times reading this. And c'mon, we all know the customer isn't always right, even though in this case, she is.

    I HIGHLY recommend this lightning-fast 10 minute play. I'm a sucker for absurdist little stories like this and loved the resolution of it. I laughed my ass off a few times reading this. And c'mon, we all know the customer isn't always right, even though in this case, she is.

  • John Busser: The Devil Exclusive

    I loved this piece and what it had to say about our nature. Witty and engaging, Dunne's script would be a welcome addition to a short play festival that proves you don't need spectacle to sell a play, just a smart idea, told simply. I'd love to see this produced.

    I loved this piece and what it had to say about our nature. Witty and engaging, Dunne's script would be a welcome addition to a short play festival that proves you don't need spectacle to sell a play, just a smart idea, told simply. I'd love to see this produced.

  • John Busser: Hitchers

    This play made me laugh from page 1. Hilarious! The biggest compliment I can give it is that I'm envious I didn't think of it. It's short, funny as hell and should be seen by everyone.

    This play made me laugh from page 1. Hilarious! The biggest compliment I can give it is that I'm envious I didn't think of it. It's short, funny as hell and should be seen by everyone.