Recommended by John Busser

  • John Busser: Pale Revelry

    Gill has his finger on the fevered pulse of a society that wants to go down partying in the midst of a world-wide plague. How prescient and timely this is! With a heaping helping of gallows humor, the characters treat a global disaster in terms they can get their heads around, by noting how inconvenient the curfews and quarantines affect their endless bouts of gratification. And when a late addition partygoer shows up, it's business as usual. This play shows a small world view of a big world concern in a darkly funny and ironic way.

    Gill has his finger on the fevered pulse of a society that wants to go down partying in the midst of a world-wide plague. How prescient and timely this is! With a heaping helping of gallows humor, the characters treat a global disaster in terms they can get their heads around, by noting how inconvenient the curfews and quarantines affect their endless bouts of gratification. And when a late addition partygoer shows up, it's business as usual. This play shows a small world view of a big world concern in a darkly funny and ironic way.

  • John Busser: Chin Up, Head Down

    While reading this, I was struck how the two versions of the fight were seen (and justified) by the participants. What exactly is the real truth? I have a feeling that all the viral videos in the world won't answer that definitively, and Colleen O'Doherty's play perfectly encapsulated this. The point of view (on both sides here) takes on a dangerous slant in getting to the core of what really happens in any story. Well done.

    While reading this, I was struck how the two versions of the fight were seen (and justified) by the participants. What exactly is the real truth? I have a feeling that all the viral videos in the world won't answer that definitively, and Colleen O'Doherty's play perfectly encapsulated this. The point of view (on both sides here) takes on a dangerous slant in getting to the core of what really happens in any story. Well done.

  • John Busser: 2 + 1 = MURDER, a 10m noir comedy

    A playwright (CJ Ehrlich) leaves a play on NPX that reads at 100 MPH. Another playwright (me) reads the play at 50 MPH stopping to marvel at all the amazing puns and quips. At what point will the laughs (LOL) end? Solving for (LOL), I'd say not till the last page. And for those who say you can't learn something from a silly play, read this little gem. All things being equal, this one adds up to be a winner.

    A playwright (CJ Ehrlich) leaves a play on NPX that reads at 100 MPH. Another playwright (me) reads the play at 50 MPH stopping to marvel at all the amazing puns and quips. At what point will the laughs (LOL) end? Solving for (LOL), I'd say not till the last page. And for those who say you can't learn something from a silly play, read this little gem. All things being equal, this one adds up to be a winner.

  • John Busser: Two-Timing Loaf of Bread

    From the moment I read the title, I knew this was a winner. An amazing premise for a love story gone horribly funny. This is, dare I say it, a bread-winner!

    From the moment I read the title, I knew this was a winner. An amazing premise for a love story gone horribly funny. This is, dare I say it, a bread-winner!

  • John Busser: Outpost

    The final stand of the human race becomes, not a battle against overwhelming odds, but a love story. Scott Sickles' play is tender in it's telling but thrilling in it's execution. I was on the edge of my seat hoping Sam and Dale (and let's face it, I wanted Computer to make it as well) would find a way to overcome the creeping menace, or at least escape to live another day. I'm glad that the author lets the audience supply it's own ending to this tale of literal star-crossed lovers.

    The final stand of the human race becomes, not a battle against overwhelming odds, but a love story. Scott Sickles' play is tender in it's telling but thrilling in it's execution. I was on the edge of my seat hoping Sam and Dale (and let's face it, I wanted Computer to make it as well) would find a way to overcome the creeping menace, or at least escape to live another day. I'm glad that the author lets the audience supply it's own ending to this tale of literal star-crossed lovers.

  • John Busser: Stick

    An office comedy that takes an idea we've ALL had and runs with it in a way we all WISH we'd have thought of. Mr. Gill has a singular wit that I wholeheartedly identify with. I think audiences would be both laughing and shrieking at the audacity of this premise.

    An office comedy that takes an idea we've ALL had and runs with it in a way we all WISH we'd have thought of. Mr. Gill has a singular wit that I wholeheartedly identify with. I think audiences would be both laughing and shrieking at the audacity of this premise.

  • John Busser: Top Shelf Tolstoy

    What an inspired premise! I love reading something that hits me out of left field like this play did. I'd love seeing this produced even more. It appeals to the absurdist in me.

    What an inspired premise! I love reading something that hits me out of left field like this play did. I'd love seeing this produced even more. It appeals to the absurdist in me.

  • John Busser: Options

    I got a nice little laugh from the punchline of this one minute eye-opener. Would love to see this snuck into a 10 minute play festival, just for fun.

    I got a nice little laugh from the punchline of this one minute eye-opener. Would love to see this snuck into a 10 minute play festival, just for fun.

  • John Busser: State

    What a nice little reminder that despite the wrapping, inside we're a lot more alike than we think. A street seller and a minister are both working the same side of the train car. Their methods may be slightly different, but they both exist to sell something. I liked Ken Green's slice of life piece here. I could relate to both sides of this particular coin. He's sold me on this play!

    What a nice little reminder that despite the wrapping, inside we're a lot more alike than we think. A street seller and a minister are both working the same side of the train car. Their methods may be slightly different, but they both exist to sell something. I liked Ken Green's slice of life piece here. I could relate to both sides of this particular coin. He's sold me on this play!

  • John Busser: Bulletproof Love

    What a ride this play was! So simple and yet dazzlingly complex in what it had to say about human interaction. I was stunned at what I learned about the characters. I want these to be real people. Hell, they ARE real people to me now. Someone should produce this so audiences can meet them the way they should be experienced. Scott Sickles has written something beautiful here.

    What a ride this play was! So simple and yet dazzlingly complex in what it had to say about human interaction. I was stunned at what I learned about the characters. I want these to be real people. Hell, they ARE real people to me now. Someone should produce this so audiences can meet them the way they should be experienced. Scott Sickles has written something beautiful here.