Recommended by John Busser

10.12.24 - Wow! To call Gail, our monologuist a survivor does her a disservice. She's a force of nature. Not only dealing with an abusive stalker husband about to get out of jail, she must contend with a state legislature that won't allow her to leave said husband until she gives birth. All the cards are stacked against her, it seems, but instead of accepting her fate, she leans into it, both getting and giving help in this support group (of which, in a nice touch, the audience is made part of).

10.12.24 - Yeah, this was uncomfortable from the get-go. As it should be. Mo-Cap Actor 4 SHOULD be outraged! Asher Wyndham has created another brutally devastating picture, this time of an assault. Yes, it was a make believe one, and it was stopped ahead of time, but the idea of assault was forwarded by another clueless person catering to corporate greed and trying to appease a somewhat dubious consumer base. Glad to see the monologuist had some principles.

10.12.24 - A no-doubt caffeine fueled rant about the indignity of working as a barista, is behind this gem of a monologue by Asher Wyndham. (But then, aren't they all gems?) Britney is 4 months pregnant, working multiple jobs and still can't make ends meet. Who among us can't identify on some level with that? It's burningly honest, though-provoking and meant to make you take it easy the next time you pull up to a drive through with a bad attitude. Britney has it a lot harder than you do.

10.12.24 - If the Hallmark channel did science fiction, this is what they would have come up with. Barbara Lindsay has put together a sweet, romantic, creature-meets-girl with a touch of "Guess What's Coming to Dinner" added in. It's fun, quirky and light as a feather. Perfect for a night of shorts.

09.28.24 - Never has ennui tasted sweeter. Scott Sickles shows us the inner and outer aspects of fan-favorite playwright Daniel Prillaman's eternal battle for maintaining his even keel. (And now with less kitten-eating than ever before.) Filled with Sickles' trademark humor and Prillaman's trademark indifference, this fun romp is an existential crisis for the ADHD crowd. (Points behind you) "Kitten!" Just read the play, it'll make sense.

09.28.24 - I'm amazed that a fictional character can get under my skin the way CF has here, and he's not even an active character! That's how affecting D. Lee Miller's writing is. We see with crystal clarity how taken (and taken in) Cheryl is by her new beau. And in the best "too-good-to-be-true" tradition, Cheryl ignores all the warning signs provided by Peggy. We all know someone who wears blinders regarding another person, but this one really hurts. Well written and authentic. Terrific stuff.

09.28.24 - I don't know how you could read this monologue and NOT be moved by the thoughts contained therein. As an adult, we are obligated to not only teach our youth, but to inspire them to be greater than they are, to face and overcome their fears, and to want to express themselves without regret. That this takes place in front of a disciplinary board tells us that we run the risk of failing our task. Because the powers that be are themselves afraid. Nora Louise Syran has struck a chord here.

09.28.24 - A meet-cute story from Philip Middleton Williams always has more going on under the surface than what you think it does. It's a tale of endings. We have Luke and Frank's ending, we have Frank (literally) ending years earlier, and Jared's debt collecting job ending in, what could be, just the right place for a new beginning of something. I love the fact that not only have some of Frank's ashes went to help the plant grow, but his debt just might make a new relationship grow. Terrific.

09.28.24 - I don't think I've ever had a short monologue invoke such an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia like this one did. As both a movie lover and former usher, I was brought right back into a darkened theater lit only by the magic on the screen, being moved by the experience. Scott Sickles paints such a vivid picture in this piece that not only do I want to get some fried chicken, but now I HAVE to find someone streaming The Tingler. No guilty pleasure this, it's a true winning play.

09.23.24 - As plays go, Morey Norkin manages to encompass the entire spectrum of human existence in just under a minute. You have the excitement of discovery, the fear of confinement, the hesitation of trusting, the determination of maintaining your independence and vomiting on the carpet. Yep, he’s covered it all. Thanks Morey!