Recommended by Paul Braverman

  • What do you get if you mix a fun ghost story with the Twilight Zone while sprinkling in non-stop hilarious one-liners? You get another highly entertaining ten minute play from Arthur Jolly. Just when you think you know where this is going, Jolly gives it another tilt. Great fun, this would be a terrific addition to any one-act play festival.

    What do you get if you mix a fun ghost story with the Twilight Zone while sprinkling in non-stop hilarious one-liners? You get another highly entertaining ten minute play from Arthur Jolly. Just when you think you know where this is going, Jolly gives it another tilt. Great fun, this would be a terrific addition to any one-act play festival.

  • Like all great one-minute plays, this feels like the denouement of a longer play being brought to a satisfying yet horrific conclusion. The topic of spousal abuse comes with its own troubling shorthand. Kaminski uses that to get us on board immediately and to remind us of what the real horror is.

    Like all great one-minute plays, this feels like the denouement of a longer play being brought to a satisfying yet horrific conclusion. The topic of spousal abuse comes with its own troubling shorthand. Kaminski uses that to get us on board immediately and to remind us of what the real horror is.

  • This is a wonderfully suspenseful one-act from John Busser. The play pulls you in on page one and Busser skillfully builds the tension until the surprising climax, featuring an excellent tilt. The actors will love playing these leads as they play out the slow-build status shifting. Lighting & sound designers will have a field day creating the increasingly unsettling world inside Busser's The Holding Cell.

    This is a wonderfully suspenseful one-act from John Busser. The play pulls you in on page one and Busser skillfully builds the tension until the surprising climax, featuring an excellent tilt. The actors will love playing these leads as they play out the slow-build status shifting. Lighting & sound designers will have a field day creating the increasingly unsettling world inside Busser's The Holding Cell.

  • I was fortunate enough to hear this read at the Valdez Theatre Conference. Emlyn-Jones brilliantly intersects Dante with drag-show, giving us a glorious romp through Dante's circles. This play goes from zero to one-hundred in the first minute, and keeps its foot on the gas pedal until the final curtain. Designers will have an absolute field day with set, costume, movement, make-up and lighting. This play will be a hit wherever/whenever it is performed.

    I was fortunate enough to hear this read at the Valdez Theatre Conference. Emlyn-Jones brilliantly intersects Dante with drag-show, giving us a glorious romp through Dante's circles. This play goes from zero to one-hundred in the first minute, and keeps its foot on the gas pedal until the final curtain. Designers will have an absolute field day with set, costume, movement, make-up and lighting. This play will be a hit wherever/whenever it is performed.

  • This highly engaging coming of age story, although set in the late 1960s, is totally relevant to these times. The enormous events of that time intersect the kind of slice-of-life challenges all young adults have to deal with. As always, Williams uses witty dialogue, believable situations and three-dimensional characters to pull us in. You don't need to be a Boomer to root for these characters or to appreciate the excellent writing.

    This highly engaging coming of age story, although set in the late 1960s, is totally relevant to these times. The enormous events of that time intersect the kind of slice-of-life challenges all young adults have to deal with. As always, Williams uses witty dialogue, believable situations and three-dimensional characters to pull us in. You don't need to be a Boomer to root for these characters or to appreciate the excellent writing.

  • Paul Braverman: The Rosary

    This timely play starts with the all too believable scenario of politics dividing a family. As the play unfolds, Sheppard-Fries does a wonderful job showing us the power of empathy, as one simple act of kindness reaches across multiple generations to bridge differences and remind us of what we have in common. This play is ultimately both relevant and hopeful.

    This timely play starts with the all too believable scenario of politics dividing a family. As the play unfolds, Sheppard-Fries does a wonderful job showing us the power of empathy, as one simple act of kindness reaches across multiple generations to bridge differences and remind us of what we have in common. This play is ultimately both relevant and hopeful.

  • Paul Braverman: The Country Squire

    In a play that both echoes and honors Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, Williams brings us into a very important weekend at the Simmons' summer home. He does a masterful job at keeping things moving while always taking his time. There are many relatable moments, as the family dynamic plays out. Sparkling dialogue, lots of rich details, and a couple of significant plot tilts will make this a surefire winner as a full production.

    In a play that both echoes and honors Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, Williams brings us into a very important weekend at the Simmons' summer home. He does a masterful job at keeping things moving while always taking his time. There are many relatable moments, as the family dynamic plays out. Sparkling dialogue, lots of rich details, and a couple of significant plot tilts will make this a surefire winner as a full production.

  • Paul Braverman: I Love You More

    This is a lovely, touching play from Sam Heyman. He only needs ten minutes to craft two wonderfully drawn characters and pull us in with witty dialogue and emotional honesty. The stakes become surprisingly high but Heyman shows us the strength of the sibling bond.

    This is a lovely, touching play from Sam Heyman. He only needs ten minutes to craft two wonderfully drawn characters and pull us in with witty dialogue and emotional honesty. The stakes become surprisingly high but Heyman shows us the strength of the sibling bond.

  • Paul Braverman: Turnbuckle

    This short play grabbed me from the opening moment, before a word was spoken. The set-up is so creative and striking. And the play kept me locked in a full nelson throughout. This is that rare ten-minute play that manages to be funny, action-packed and utterly unpredictable as it morphs into a touching look at someone truly struggling with their identity. This great play is going to make fight choreographers drool. Highly recommend!

    This short play grabbed me from the opening moment, before a word was spoken. The set-up is so creative and striking. And the play kept me locked in a full nelson throughout. This is that rare ten-minute play that manages to be funny, action-packed and utterly unpredictable as it morphs into a touching look at someone truly struggling with their identity. This great play is going to make fight choreographers drool. Highly recommend!

  • Paul Braverman: WIN AND TIM AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PRONOUNS [A 1-MINUTE PLAY]

    Steve Martin shows us a moment that appears at first to be routine, but we quickly learn we are seeing what love looks like in daily life. Lovely.

    Steve Martin shows us a moment that appears at first to be routine, but we quickly learn we are seeing what love looks like in daily life. Lovely.