Recommended by John Mabey

  • John Mabey: Autumn's Fall

    What a delicious monologue with a character who is vividly drawn in all her vibrant colors. AUTUMN'S FALL by Christopher Plumridge showcases the character of Autumn having an intense moment over how she's treated and more importantly over how she's perceived. The specificity here is wonderful and the many details make this a character who instantly comes to life. I'd love to see more of her in future monologues and plays.

    What a delicious monologue with a character who is vividly drawn in all her vibrant colors. AUTUMN'S FALL by Christopher Plumridge showcases the character of Autumn having an intense moment over how she's treated and more importantly over how she's perceived. The specificity here is wonderful and the many details make this a character who instantly comes to life. I'd love to see more of her in future monologues and plays.

  • John Mabey: 153

    This play really stole my heart in the best magical ways. 153 by Steven Martin is a gem that shines differently throughout, each page a new revelation and insight for both the characters and ourselves. A mix of poetic dialogue and cathartic imagery makes this play so very special and a delight to both read and watch.

    This play really stole my heart in the best magical ways. 153 by Steven Martin is a gem that shines differently throughout, each page a new revelation and insight for both the characters and ourselves. A mix of poetic dialogue and cathartic imagery makes this play so very special and a delight to both read and watch.

  • John Mabey: The Mediator

    Sometimes it takes an unexpected visit from an unexpected person to find a path back to yourself. And in THE MEDIATOR by Christopher Soucy, this is explored through a wonderful mix of both comedy and heart. In just a few pages we can instantly recognize this character and their loss of forward momentum. And by the end, the new hope of a brighter tomorrow through both the spoken and the unspoken.

    Sometimes it takes an unexpected visit from an unexpected person to find a path back to yourself. And in THE MEDIATOR by Christopher Soucy, this is explored through a wonderful mix of both comedy and heart. In just a few pages we can instantly recognize this character and their loss of forward momentum. And by the end, the new hope of a brighter tomorrow through both the spoken and the unspoken.

  • John Mabey: THE FERRIS WHEEL - a short play for both stage and radio

    There's so much beautiful story that changes and unfolds throughout THE FERRIS WHEEL by D. Lee Miller. And with each turn we witness a different milestone and moment in the lives of a couple who also change. A profound sense of longing and connection throughout the play grounds us in deep emotion for an ending that not only surprises but takes us back to the start.

    There's so much beautiful story that changes and unfolds throughout THE FERRIS WHEEL by D. Lee Miller. And with each turn we witness a different milestone and moment in the lives of a couple who also change. A profound sense of longing and connection throughout the play grounds us in deep emotion for an ending that not only surprises but takes us back to the start.

  • John Mabey: 15 Seconds

    Devastation and loss are felt by everyone differently, especially around the same painful tragedy. And in 15 SECONDS by Bruce Karp, we meet a family and a chosen family who connect through the pain. The structure of the play is also beautiful and fits so perfectly the way the story unfolds.

    Devastation and loss are felt by everyone differently, especially around the same painful tragedy. And in 15 SECONDS by Bruce Karp, we meet a family and a chosen family who connect through the pain. The structure of the play is also beautiful and fits so perfectly the way the story unfolds.

  • John Mabey: On Queue

    ON QUEUE by Morey Norkin is a delight even without knowing references to Waiting For Godot. The rhythm and pacing are a true homage while the comedy is also so strong and unique. This would be an absolute joy to watch unfold on stage and even for both actors to switch roles on different performances.

    ON QUEUE by Morey Norkin is a delight even without knowing references to Waiting For Godot. The rhythm and pacing are a true homage while the comedy is also so strong and unique. This would be an absolute joy to watch unfold on stage and even for both actors to switch roles on different performances.

  • John Mabey: Yeah, I Have Regrets (Monologue)

    There are many sides to regrets, and in YEAH, I HAVE REGRETS, Donald E. Baker demonstrates how there's never one easy answer. Or, more accurately, how that answer might change and evolve over time. There's a deep emotional honesty to this monologue that provides peaks and valleys throughout, making it so rich for actors of any gender. Well done!

    There are many sides to regrets, and in YEAH, I HAVE REGRETS, Donald E. Baker demonstrates how there's never one easy answer. Or, more accurately, how that answer might change and evolve over time. There's a deep emotional honesty to this monologue that provides peaks and valleys throughout, making it so rich for actors of any gender. Well done!

  • John Mabey: Watercolors

    The imagery of paintings and different styles of visual art form such a beautiful canvas for this play by Philip Middleton Williams. In WATERCOLORS, we meet characters who each have separate but critical insights about another character who remains unseen, but by the end of the play is as vividly drawn as the others on stage. With nuance, subtext, and a delicate way of transcending stereotypes, this play grounds us in a very real world with all its many shades and colors.

    The imagery of paintings and different styles of visual art form such a beautiful canvas for this play by Philip Middleton Williams. In WATERCOLORS, we meet characters who each have separate but critical insights about another character who remains unseen, but by the end of the play is as vividly drawn as the others on stage. With nuance, subtext, and a delicate way of transcending stereotypes, this play grounds us in a very real world with all its many shades and colors.

  • John Mabey: Our House to Yours

    There's so many heartfelt moments and surprising turns in OUR HOUSE TO YOURS by Debra A. Cole. Just when I thought I knew where this play was going, a dramatic and comedic shift explores a new dimension of this family and their relationship as a couple. There's an incredible amount of discovery in this play for actors and a director to mine every moment that carries into the next. The ending also makes me reevaluate what came before, providing so many opportunities for audience discussion afterward.

    There's so many heartfelt moments and surprising turns in OUR HOUSE TO YOURS by Debra A. Cole. Just when I thought I knew where this play was going, a dramatic and comedic shift explores a new dimension of this family and their relationship as a couple. There's an incredible amount of discovery in this play for actors and a director to mine every moment that carries into the next. The ending also makes me reevaluate what came before, providing so many opportunities for audience discussion afterward.

  • John Mabey: Telling Dad (Ten Minute)

    In TELLING DAD, Paul Donnelly presents a family in all their complexity. And in ten minutes explores so many urgent themes: mental health crises due to transphobia and not due to a trans identity, children caught in an anti-trans political climate that threatens their safety, and the power of family. Paul writes with so much empathy and a deep understanding of queer identities. More plays exploring these same themes are desperately needed to tell these stories that have been hidden for so long.

    In TELLING DAD, Paul Donnelly presents a family in all their complexity. And in ten minutes explores so many urgent themes: mental health crises due to transphobia and not due to a trans identity, children caught in an anti-trans political climate that threatens their safety, and the power of family. Paul writes with so much empathy and a deep understanding of queer identities. More plays exploring these same themes are desperately needed to tell these stories that have been hidden for so long.