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Aly Kantor

Recommended by Aly Kantor

  • Galatea by David Templeton
    3 Feb. 2024
    “ This stunning but intimate sci-fi play captured my full attention from page one, and by the end, I was fully sobbing. I believe Dr. Mailer would call it "Catharsis." This is the sort of disarmingly human, sensitive, moving, and immersive sci-fi play I've been searching for. The characters are distinct and lovable, and the brilliant twists never stop coming, deepening my investment in their stories. I am resisting the urge to scroll back to the top and read it from the beginning. PLEASE produce this play! I want to see every performance! ”
  • Heartburn by Daniel Prillaman
    3 Feb. 2024
    “ Haha. ha. haaaa. This play targets some of my biggest fears in such a vital, immediate fashion. The horror is phenomenal, working on multiple levels: the fears that accompany any medical appointment (What if there's something really wrong with me? What if my body is an anomaly? What if they can't or won't help me?), and sheer, disturbing body horror. There are no answers here - only a deeply visceral sense of terror and dread on behalf of the protagonist, who could be any of us. It offers an incredible opportunity for a sound designer, too. FREAKY! Fantastic! ”
  • Sweet Shop by Tori Lassman
    3 Feb. 2024
    “ According to this derranged and brilliant play, "Love doesn't exist under a capitalist regime" - and how could it, between the 128-hour work week, the easy access to sex robots, and the inability to safely share your internal life in a divisive time of war? I am obsessed with the pop music interludes, especially the dream sequence, and in awe of the mind-bending, impossible stage directions. It's also side-splittingly hilarious - this is a playwright who knows how to commit to a bit! Brilliant worldbuilding, phenomenal dialogue, and surprisingly relatable messaging make this one a winner. Loved it! ”
  • Tamara by Denis Burke
    2 Feb. 2024
    “ TAMARA imagines a future in which servile androids are just as endemic as smartphones. It's an intriguing argument that suggests one's treatment (or, often, mistreatment) of humanoid robots might say something about their inner nature. The play explores why things that are hypothetically ETHICAL to do with a robot may not necessarily be RIGHT... and how quickly feelings of entitlement can transfer to ANYTHING humanoid... including marginalized individuals. The piece asks a lot of great questions, and the ending provided a sense of hope. ”
  • Artificial by Matthew Stoffel
    2 Feb. 2024
    “ An altruistic engineer is aiming to create an autonomous robotic police officer incapble of human error. Naturally, capitalism is the villain, requiring the project to shift in a more violent (and lucrative) direction. I love that the characters never feel like "stock scientists," and each has a strong, specific personality and plenty of quirks. The story itself presents a fascinating ethical quandary that kept my interest from beginning to end. Is there a point at which a neural network becomes advanced enough that it can't help but act human... and what if acting human is the issue? Fantastic play! ”
  • Bloody, Little Pieces by Greg Mandryk
    31 Jan. 2024
    “ A great horror writer understands that the less seen, the better. I can say with confidence that Greg Mandryk is a master. This collection is not only wholly original, it's also TRULY scary - and NEVER at the expense of theatricality! I think it has something to do with empathy - it is SO easy to put yourself in these characters' shoes, and so many of the fears are fears real humans face each day. And the ones that are LESS scary makeup for it by being HILARIOUS! In fact, most of them are funny AND spooky! Check them out! ”
  • Anna Considers Mars by Ruben Grijalva
    30 Jan. 2024
    “ This play is a masterclass in speculative worldbuilding, and I am in awe of the specificity of this dramatic world! Furthermore, this play asks so many ethical questions about the continuity of the species that will keep audiences engaged and agonizing throughout the performance. The characters are highly flawed, extremely lovable, and profoundly relatable. The stakes are consistently high as one ticking clock triggers another, then another, keeping the story moving efficiently toward its bittersweet and memorable conclusion. This is a phenomenal play for those living through this moment in history, be it the best or the worst! ”
  • Acts of Creation by Brianna Barrett
    29 Jan. 2024
    “ Vibrant, specific characters populate the world of this family drama, in which anticipatory grief - and, later, active grief - guide so many decisions. It asks questions about what constitutes a legacy, and if it's ever too late to create one (and, most interestingly, where AI fits into the act of creation). I loved the use of AI-generated text in the script itself. The more you question "how did this string of words come to be?" the less it matters. It's here, and it's strange, and it means nothing except what you decide it means.
    A fascinating premise executed beautifully! ”
  • What's on the Menu? by Cam Eickmeyer
    28 Jan. 2024
    “ This play is a masterclass in subtext! On this awkward lunch meeting, Dad will do anything but discuss the elephant in the room, conjuring metaphor after metaphor, straight from the cafe menu. The script is also full of hilarious moments of subtle physical comedy - silent moments of pure action do a lot of work! As the frustration reaches a climax, the moment of connection feels genuine and well-earned. This is a sweet, subtle play about connection, with a funny, memorable button that will leave audiences grinning! ”
  • Falls on Enceladus by Ky Weeks
    28 Jan. 2024
    “ Having grown up reading sci-fi stories about spacefaring and first contact, this play evoked a strong feeling of nostalgia, but also felt fresh and singularly theatrical, with opportunities for designers to create an immersive kind of magic. The silence of our protagonist posed a mystery that kept me curious and engaged, even as larger problems arose in the broader world of the play. Weeks does a phenomenal job communicating exposition through natural dialogue, painting a picture of a harrowing but realistic future. The moment the plot comes full circle is phenomenal and exciting. Genre fans will love this unique script! ”

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