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Becky Schlomann

Recommended by Becky Schlomann

  • New Pair of Eyeglasses by Jessie Salsbury
    6 Nov. 2021
    “ In the middle of grief, it's sometimes the smallest moments that hit us hardest--as when Mrs. Burg arrives at the optometrist's to retrieve a pair of eyeglasses that have arrived for her late son. I love how Nikki the shop clerk seems to understand that Mrs. Burg needs to talk about it, to see and touch the glasses and speak her child's name aloud. This is a quiet piece with a light, precise touch that somehow breaks my heart and feels profoundly hopeful, all at once. ”
  • A Pirate Carol by Daniel Prillaman
    6 Nov. 2021
    “ This delicious play has everything you want in a World Where Pirates Are Kind To Each Other: Sea shanties! A boat named Boaty! Delightfully meta jokes about breaking the fourth wall! Tender-hearted bullies who learn the error of their ways! Johnny Depp and Grinch references! Group hugs! Pirate cows!

    As a former K-12 theatre teacher, my students would have LOVED performing this. What a treat! ”
  • Principles of Logic by Ross Tedford Kendall
    6 Nov. 2021
    “ Love this short piece about a pompous professor and the admin assistant who beats him at his own game. The first half is a great example of how characters quickly change tactics to get what they want. I was hooked when Serena promised to crack the safe in under a minute--and cheered when she nailed it! A tight, satisfying read. ”
  • Apologies to Lorraine Hansberry (You Too August Wilson) by Rachel Lynett
    30 May. 2021
    “ Act I is a powerful exploration of Blackness and intersectionality that puts us white audience members on notice to LISTEN. Act II blows the roof off, as Lynett reinvents the rules of her own play, breaking then reconstructing then breaking the 4th wall. The result is a play that refuses to allow complacency, that challenges us to think, that blurs the lines between actor, audience, and community. Indianapolis was lucky to have the world premiere of this tour de force. I hope it’ll be widely produced after winning the Yale, because America needs to see this play. ”
  • The Profession (Full-length play) by Marcia Eppich-Harris
    20 Apr. 2021
    “ Every once in a great while, we’re lucky enough to bear witness to a piece of theatre that feels inevitable, where the characters are so specific and their conflict so authentic and so powerful that you can’t imagine it unfolding any other way. This is one of those plays. I raged with Valerie at the erosion of her idealism and passion for teaching; my heart broke at the Sophie’s choice that Marina faces. Like the Shakespearean tragedies Valerie teaches, each beat of this pitch-perfect play leads us inexorably to its haunting conclusion. ”
  • Seneca and the Soul of Nero (Full-length play) by Marcia Eppich-Harris
    3 Apr. 2021
    “ A narcissistic despot who refuses to take counsel from his advisors? Pshht, must be fiction! Nero is the antagonist we love to hate, and Seneca the teacher trying desperately to prevent his moral decay. This show is full of great moments for actors; the relationship between Seneca and Nero—at once turbulent and loving—is especially powerful. A fast-paced, well-researched history play with gut-punch resonance for the 21st century. ”
  • When Life Gives You Lemons (10 Minute Play) by Pamela Morgan
    14 Mar. 2021
    “ Mothers everywhere will recognize the dilemma: how to hold together your child’s breaking heart when your own is shattered, too? I love these characters, and I felt for them both. A beautiful ten-minute piece: tart, sweet, powerful—just like lemonade. ”
  • How to Tie a Cravat (a monologue) (Playing on the Periphery #2) by Scott Sickles
    22 Feb. 2021
    “ What happens when the bullied kid turns the tables and takes back his power? This monologue. Bertram's apology to his bully, chin held high, made me go quiet. His defiant joy in holding his ground while tying his tie made me cheer. A tender, powerful piece. ”
  • Imaginary Friends (ten-minute play) by Enid Cokinos
    7 Feb. 2021
    “ A poignant look at a pivotal moment in the life of our hero, Jake, surrounded by childhood memories--and unresolved old relationships--in his mother's attic. Sweet but not saccharine, Jake is a hugely relatable protagonist as he sifts through his complex feelings for his late father, his childhood imaginary friend, his fiance-to-be, and his old flame. I love stories that make me miss the characters after the lights go down, and this is definitely one! ”
  • Cindy/Ella by Elisabeth Giffin Speckman
    18 Oct. 2020
    “ What a fun riches-to-rags retelling! I saw this at IndyFringe and it got a ton of laughs. It has everything: a pampered but plucky heroine determined to make something of herself; a fast-paced plot; a caddish Prince and his beleaguered publicist; a delightfully farcical “which identical twin is that?” scene; and characters who move beyond stereotypes into people we really root for. (The deadpan Kendra and fabulous Dontrell are a hilarious duo that actors will LOVE playing.) This one is worth reading. ”

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