Recommended by Tom Moran

  • Tom Moran: Treachery Island: A Serial Play

    Like my fellow commenters, I saw episodes 1-3 at a theatre conference and was sucked in. And this is from someone who genuinely hates reality TV and everything it was engendered (a topic that the play certainly addresses.) It's funny, clever, and really leans into the episodic format, keeping the twists and turns coming, ratcheting up the tension, and regularly topping itself. Glad I got a chance to read the whole thing!

    Like my fellow commenters, I saw episodes 1-3 at a theatre conference and was sucked in. And this is from someone who genuinely hates reality TV and everything it was engendered (a topic that the play certainly addresses.) It's funny, clever, and really leans into the episodic format, keeping the twists and turns coming, ratcheting up the tension, and regularly topping itself. Glad I got a chance to read the whole thing!

  • Tom Moran: For Richard, for Poorer

    There's a real charm about plays that are essentially monologues because one character knows better than to say anything, and this one encapsulates that quite well. It's sweet and tender and honest and true, and quite funny to boot. Also a great closing line.

    There's a real charm about plays that are essentially monologues because one character knows better than to say anything, and this one encapsulates that quite well. It's sweet and tender and honest and true, and quite funny to boot. Also a great closing line.

  • Tom Moran: Advanced Feature ( 10 min. ZOOM online play)

    Just heard this at a playreading and it went over gangbusters. A really fun script that energetically pokes fun at Zoom while taking clever advantage of some of its features (backgrounds especially) to make the piece work.

    Just heard this at a playreading and it went over gangbusters. A really fun script that energetically pokes fun at Zoom while taking clever advantage of some of its features (backgrounds especially) to make the piece work.

  • Tom Moran: Misfortune

    A solid entry into the "omigod I need to get out of this date" pantheon, which veers off in a pleasantly unexpected direction at the end. Good fun and lots of laughs as the male lead talks himself deeper and deeper into a hole with both his date and the audience. And kudos for coming up with a truly ridiculous sub-sub-sub-genre of fanboyism. L.I.W. would be proud.

    A solid entry into the "omigod I need to get out of this date" pantheon, which veers off in a pleasantly unexpected direction at the end. Good fun and lots of laughs as the male lead talks himself deeper and deeper into a hole with both his date and the audience. And kudos for coming up with a truly ridiculous sub-sub-sub-genre of fanboyism. L.I.W. would be proud.

  • Tom Moran: THE LAST RITES OF ORSON WELLES

    A compelling mix of humor and pathos, this uses Orson Welles' celebrated Paul Masson period as the springboard to the broken-down actor reflecting on happier days. In the larger sense, it's a poignant story about the impermanence of fame and how hard it can be to put aside past glories and accept the present for what it is.

    A compelling mix of humor and pathos, this uses Orson Welles' celebrated Paul Masson period as the springboard to the broken-down actor reflecting on happier days. In the larger sense, it's a poignant story about the impermanence of fame and how hard it can be to put aside past glories and accept the present for what it is.

  • Tom Moran: DONNY OSMOND TURNED ME GAY

    A tender and honest monologue, lovingly and sweetly told. Not to mention an interesting rumination on the different ways we interpret pop culture and how it can shape us in ways we don't even understand, at least at the time.

    A tender and honest monologue, lovingly and sweetly told. Not to mention an interesting rumination on the different ways we interpret pop culture and how it can shape us in ways we don't even understand, at least at the time.

  • Tom Moran: HAMLET IN ANTARCTICA

    Through a Pythonesque progression of ideas that start out small and well-meaning and grow larger and more defensive, a Hamlet production morphs into something unrecognizable (but, to say the least, intriguing.) There are laugh lines galore as we watch everything spin delightfully out of control. Dry as a bone and an all-around hoot.

    Through a Pythonesque progression of ideas that start out small and well-meaning and grow larger and more defensive, a Hamlet production morphs into something unrecognizable (but, to say the least, intriguing.) There are laugh lines galore as we watch everything spin delightfully out of control. Dry as a bone and an all-around hoot.

  • Tom Moran: Top Shelf Tolstoy

    A great satire. Like the best 10-minute plays, it takes an absurd idea and runs with it. A well-constructed three-hander with effortless exchanges, the promise of good stage spectacle via some terrible dancing, and a perfect final line. As a side note, my town actually has a bar called "The Library," though they don't check out books (yet.)

    A great satire. Like the best 10-minute plays, it takes an absurd idea and runs with it. A well-constructed three-hander with effortless exchanges, the promise of good stage spectacle via some terrible dancing, and a perfect final line. As a side note, my town actually has a bar called "The Library," though they don't check out books (yet.)

  • Tom Moran: Sputnik

    A fascinating, polished story of a little-known civil rights hero. The plain language and not-quite-a-monologue structure are well-suited to the subject matter; a solid and important story, well-told.

    A fascinating, polished story of a little-known civil rights hero. The plain language and not-quite-a-monologue structure are well-suited to the subject matter; a solid and important story, well-told.

  • Tom Moran: It's Really Very Simple

    It's very easy to write a play about writer's block, but can be pretty hard to write an engaging one. Levine succeeds by adopting an absurdist, magical-realist premise and running with it. It's great fun and would be a very enjoyable (and unpredictable) piece to see on stage. And it ends on an excellent note.

    It's very easy to write a play about writer's block, but can be pretty hard to write an engaging one. Levine succeeds by adopting an absurdist, magical-realist premise and running with it. It's great fun and would be a very enjoyable (and unpredictable) piece to see on stage. And it ends on an excellent note.