Recommended by Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend

Tom Moran is one of the most reliable playwrights I’ve found on NPX. His plays are all hilarious, surprising, and smart, and “Rewrite” is no exception. In this short, the characters in a poorly written western novel rebel against the author in an attempt to salvage the story. I especially loved the reveal of Loretta and the Marxism she brought to the table. So much fun!

Using 1964-1968 as a backdrop, "Gold Paint" follows the owner of a DC paint store, his family, and his friends as the play touches on civil rights, espionage, politics, and other weighty issues. There's also comedy used to nice effect to cut the drama. I particularly liked the running bit in Act One about the friend who died on his way to the race track who was taken basically everywhere except the morgue that night. There are lots of good roles for older actors here.

Oh my gosh, this play! It’s told in flashbacks, grabs you from the start, and doesn’t let go. It wrestles with so many topics so successfully and leaves you thinking long after it’s over. Fabulous!!

A musical about a ghost tour - What's not to love?? I enjoyed how every character on the tour was distinct, and I learned a lot about the hauntings of Savannah to boot! The play is spooky and funny (there is some VERY clever dialogue in here!) and I love the entire concept.

This short is smart, funny, and a good reminder that we're destroying the planet and are in for a world of hurt if we don't course correct immediately (Always nice when an entertaining play can get that message in as well.) A new Adam and Eve have landed on Mars and hopefully won't screw this planet up like they did the last one. The voice of God is perfect, such a great balance between making jokes and hitting these humans with some hard truths. I'd love to see this one live!

I love this short play. On page one, a character sits down for the very first time (you read that right) and I just knew I was in for a good time. What I wasn't prepared for was how deep this play is, even with all the jokes. Questions of time, existence, our ability to change things... so much gets tackled in this short two person play. You're left with a lot to think about, even as you're left with a smile on your face - the mark of a great story.

George Sapio really paints a picture with this monologue. All the details are so well done, it's almost like you can taste the (many, many) burgers yourself. The desperation of an actor who knows they're talented and is trying with all their heart to succeed is captured perfectly. I loved the ride this monologue takes you on.

I love this shift in perspective on the story of Cinderella! The Prince WAS kind of a creepy stalker. In this clever short, Cinderella takes the witness stand and holds her own against the defendant's lawyer, as she recounts how she came to be at the ball and the events that followed. The dialogue is very clever, and in addition to being so engaging, this would be very easily staged. Plus, both roles would be a treat for any actor.

Oooh, this short play was not only entertaining, but it taught me something as well: The higher the fall for a human, the deader we end up. The higher the fall for a cat, the more likely they are to survive it. That got me reflecting on what we, like the characters in the play, can do to try to ensure that we survive our big falls in life. Lots to think about in only ten minutes!

This short play is so much fun! It just builds and builds into calculated insanity, and the ending is perfect. It's smart, hilarious, would be a joy to act in, and clearly seems to have been a blast to write.