Recommended by Aly Kantor

  • Aly Kantor: The Land of Submarines (In The Limelight: Short Plays for Large Casts -- Volume 2: New Classics)

    This collection of two plays starts off with a bang and quickly becomes an undersea adventure! In these strange pandemic times, I feel most kids will be able to relate to the young adventurers in 'The Land of Submaries' as they escape a dangerous world - but it IS an escape, full of funny, fascinating creatures! 'The Octopus's Garden' is a magical, musical story about a family feud - like R&J for kids! From an educator's perspective, the clear character types will do a LOT to help young and/or inexperienced actors make strong choices!

    This collection of two plays starts off with a bang and quickly becomes an undersea adventure! In these strange pandemic times, I feel most kids will be able to relate to the young adventurers in 'The Land of Submaries' as they escape a dangerous world - but it IS an escape, full of funny, fascinating creatures! 'The Octopus's Garden' is a magical, musical story about a family feud - like R&J for kids! From an educator's perspective, the clear character types will do a LOT to help young and/or inexperienced actors make strong choices!

  • Aly Kantor: She Sells Sea-Shells

    Oh my goodness! There must be dozens of recent drama school graduates out there who have been training their entire lives to play Logan! This is such a fun little vignette that uses tongue twisters to incredible dramatic effect! I can imagine the giggles from the audience as the shells continue to pile up leading to the inevitable conclusion! As goofy as this piece may be, the payoff at the end is more than worth it!

    Oh my goodness! There must be dozens of recent drama school graduates out there who have been training their entire lives to play Logan! This is such a fun little vignette that uses tongue twisters to incredible dramatic effect! I can imagine the giggles from the audience as the shells continue to pile up leading to the inevitable conclusion! As goofy as this piece may be, the payoff at the end is more than worth it!

  • Aly Kantor: Cold Dead Heart

    This punny romance is just as heartwarming and life-affirming as it is hilarious - what a sweet reminder that we can't possibly see ourselves the way others do! I loved the use of light in this piece, and I think it would be just as much fun for designers as it would be for actors!

    This punny romance is just as heartwarming and life-affirming as it is hilarious - what a sweet reminder that we can't possibly see ourselves the way others do! I loved the use of light in this piece, and I think it would be just as much fun for designers as it would be for actors!

  • Aly Kantor: Death's Defeat

    Wow, I was not prepared for the emotional punch that this tiny, incredibly effective play served. As one of the kids who spent early adolescence hiding from trauma in magical places - who later grew up to become a teacher and saw school violence from the other side - this piece hit home. A few lines in there really walloped me - particularly the line about the backpack armor. These words are important. I'm grateful they're out in the universe but I wish they didn't have to be.

    Wow, I was not prepared for the emotional punch that this tiny, incredibly effective play served. As one of the kids who spent early adolescence hiding from trauma in magical places - who later grew up to become a teacher and saw school violence from the other side - this piece hit home. A few lines in there really walloped me - particularly the line about the backpack armor. These words are important. I'm grateful they're out in the universe but I wish they didn't have to be.

  • Aly Kantor: Demon Bitch Goddess

    This is a beautiful evening of theatre, consisting of three sometimes silly, sometimes devastating one-acts loaded with excellent roles - especially notable for its strong, dynamic roles for older women. The plays are completely distinct, but each one has at least one reference to Greek mythology at its center. Every single play has at least one laugh-out-loud line that will stick with you, and multiple sweet, genuine moments. I am sure you will fall in love with the well-drawn, unique characters you will meet in every single play!

    This is a beautiful evening of theatre, consisting of three sometimes silly, sometimes devastating one-acts loaded with excellent roles - especially notable for its strong, dynamic roles for older women. The plays are completely distinct, but each one has at least one reference to Greek mythology at its center. Every single play has at least one laugh-out-loud line that will stick with you, and multiple sweet, genuine moments. I am sure you will fall in love with the well-drawn, unique characters you will meet in every single play!

  • Aly Kantor: Goodnight Lovin' Trail

    I believe that every Edward Hopper painting is its own liminal space, and so is Andy's Piggy - the setting of this haunting meeting between two sad ships in the night. Both characters are wracked with longing, which propels the quiet action in this play as surely as the tiny reversals that keep the audience questioning. The language is lyrical and painfully true. It reads like the sort of confessions someone might make when they're too tired to shield the vulnerable parts of themselves, which made the dialogue believable when coming out of these two weary mouths. Haunting!

    I believe that every Edward Hopper painting is its own liminal space, and so is Andy's Piggy - the setting of this haunting meeting between two sad ships in the night. Both characters are wracked with longing, which propels the quiet action in this play as surely as the tiny reversals that keep the audience questioning. The language is lyrical and painfully true. It reads like the sort of confessions someone might make when they're too tired to shield the vulnerable parts of themselves, which made the dialogue believable when coming out of these two weary mouths. Haunting!

  • Aly Kantor: The Waters of Her Noblest Rivers

    This play asks many important, timely questions, but doesn't deign to propose the answers. Instead, we're introduced to four very different characters who have to live with the solutions - or lack thereof - every single day. I loved the moment the two stories began to converge. Props to Marineau for giving us a strong female character who stands up for herself when things get uncomfortable! Ultimately, I was left thinking about how many answers are already out there, and the effective elegance of simple solutions.

    This play asks many important, timely questions, but doesn't deign to propose the answers. Instead, we're introduced to four very different characters who have to live with the solutions - or lack thereof - every single day. I loved the moment the two stories began to converge. Props to Marineau for giving us a strong female character who stands up for herself when things get uncomfortable! Ultimately, I was left thinking about how many answers are already out there, and the effective elegance of simple solutions.

  • Aly Kantor: The Tempestuous - A 10 minute play

    A sassy Miranda with a voice! I was in love from page one! This play brings two of Shakespeare's most beloved characters to life in the form of opinionated (and sometimes pandering) "figments" with plenty of notes for the playwright! It's full of contemporary humor and references that fans of The Bard will appreciate! Shakespeare may not have given Miranda the story she deserves, but D. Lee Miller certainly has, and any actress would be lucky to perform this role!

    A sassy Miranda with a voice! I was in love from page one! This play brings two of Shakespeare's most beloved characters to life in the form of opinionated (and sometimes pandering) "figments" with plenty of notes for the playwright! It's full of contemporary humor and references that fans of The Bard will appreciate! Shakespeare may not have given Miranda the story she deserves, but D. Lee Miller certainly has, and any actress would be lucky to perform this role!

  • Aly Kantor: The Assumption of Love

    This is a lovely, historical play that gives life and meaning to an emotionally-charged piece of artwork. I appreciated the tenderness in the face of vulnerability - there is something so kind and gentle about this fleeting moment between two strangers. The characters' voices felt like they were straight out of the period, adding a sense of authenticity to this already atmospherically-rich play. It left me with chills and a sense of melancholy peace.

    This is a lovely, historical play that gives life and meaning to an emotionally-charged piece of artwork. I appreciated the tenderness in the face of vulnerability - there is something so kind and gentle about this fleeting moment between two strangers. The characters' voices felt like they were straight out of the period, adding a sense of authenticity to this already atmospherically-rich play. It left me with chills and a sense of melancholy peace.

  • Aly Kantor: Something True

    Some plays just demand to be read aloud - and this was one of them! This easily staged ten-minute play is loaded with quick and clever dialogue that makes you laugh as often as it makes you think! It has a fun reversal that made me chuckle, but ended on a lovely, genuine note that gave me the warm fuzzies! I am glad these silly soulmates will get to live their "truth!"

    Some plays just demand to be read aloud - and this was one of them! This easily staged ten-minute play is loaded with quick and clever dialogue that makes you laugh as often as it makes you think! It has a fun reversal that made me chuckle, but ended on a lovely, genuine note that gave me the warm fuzzies! I am glad these silly soulmates will get to live their "truth!"