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Franky D. Gonzalez

Recommended by Franky D. Gonzalez

  • CREATURE COMFORTS by Greg Burdick
    20 Apr. 2018
    “ "(He gently and lovingly strokes his glorious tail.)"

    That stage direction sold this play to me. There was no way I could dislike this play. A hilarious homage to the Looney Toons and Tex Avery eras of cartoon silliness with all the neuroses and human quirks of the 21st Century human, only played by animals. Absolutely hilarious read. ”
  • Calpurnia Delivers Caesar's Papers to Mark Antony by Matthew Weaver
    19 Apr. 2018
    “ I love how Weaver is able to weave in the moments we can only speculate on in the lives of the Calpurnia and Mark Antony. You see subtle references to Shakespeare and the Greeks and learn a little more of the history culminating in Caesar's assassination. I especially enjoyed how Matthew was able to place Calpurnia in a place of feeling forgotten but still is attributed in this play to have given the key to Antony's speech to the Romans citizenry in Shakespeare's play. It shows how wrong she is not just through telling but through show. Marvelous short play. ”
  • Blood & Wine (a monologue) by Lindsay Partain
    19 Apr. 2018
    “ The finest wines take time to process. So to does this monologue which left me wondering at just what this dangerous woman meant behind her secret to making fine wine. My own advice. Read it. Take it in. Read it again aloud--or better yet, have someone else, preferably an African American woman read it aloud-- and take it in again. I promise, it'll make a lot more sense. Really subtle play, that rewards a patient reader. Definitely a worthwhile monologue for a performer to tackle. ”
  • Swallowed by Rachel Bublitz
    19 Apr. 2018
    “ An unsettling play whose plea is as immediate to us as it was to the characters int his piece. Bublitz explores fear, bravery, and the most pressing matter facing all of humanity in our very near future. There is so much drama packed into so few pages, and like the aftermath of a violent storm, one is only left in quiet and reflection at what has passed and what is yet to come. A very moving and relevant play. ”
  • Everafter.com by Emily Hageman
    19 Apr. 2018
    “ A humorous play with a wonderful moral at the heart of it. Perfect for young audiences growing into themselves in a world of social media and unrealistic standards on love and a ton of laughs for adults as well, Hageman does not trade off honesty of dialogue or reality of situations just because the characters are from old fables and fantasies. Definitely a fresh, much more modern take on old tropes taking on today's obstacles. Highly recommended. ”
  • Second Kisses by Matthew Weaver
    17 Apr. 2018
    “ There's a lovely economy of language that speaks to the works of Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett but with a twist of comedy that leaves you chuckling at the delightful absurdity of two people who have fallen for each other. Ian and Portia are the kind of characters you want to roll your eyes at, but playwright Matthew Weaver makes them endearing and genuinely funny. You'll shake your head, but it's with a smile and fondness as you remember your own first love and the magical moments of finally coming together with someone you just can't stop kissing--oops, thinking--about. ”
  • AMERICAN DEAL by Donna Hoke
    17 Apr. 2018
    “ A timely play that could not have come at a better time. It forces us to question the debts we owe to society and those those we love and those we hurt. She cuts into the heart of the battle between the ethical and the financial with a clarity and understanding not just of the subject matter, but of American culture at large. Using a beautiful blend of realism, expressionism and so many other styles, Hoke weaves the story of Clive and those around him over 16 years. Stunning. Be on the lookout for when you can read this play. ”
  • Variations on the Death of Vera by Lindsay Partain
    17 Apr. 2018
    “ A ghost story that speculates on the truth and the play about the students trying to contact the ghost, who go on a journey that they don't seem to recall, or never went through at all. Like any great legend or myth, we are left speculating on what we witnessed and can only ask, "Was what this experience what I think it was, or something else?" Partain, takes the spirit of a ghost story with all of its facts and fictions and gives us another layer to the story laced with its own facts, fictions, and speculations. Masterfully done. Fantastic. ”
  • 10 Apr. 2018
    “ A heartfelt and tender monologue by Straton Rushing charting a change in perspective through friendship. Mr. Rushing has that rare gift of being able to keep someone engaged through a long monologue. So many playwrights try to master this but often times miss the mark. Not so with Straton's THANK YOU SEAN DOLINSKI. You can actually hear the speaker at this vigil. You could hear how he spoke and you feel the emotions he felt as he delivers these heartfelt words in memory of his friend. A wonderful study in how to write monologues well and a darn good piece. ”
  • STALL TACTICS by Ruth Cantrell
    10 Apr. 2018
    “ A comical play that takes on a very serious undertone as it progresses. Ruth Cantrell created an engaging two-hander that explores the absurdity of hate and place of both ignorance and hurt that hatred comes from. You'll go from chuckles to introspective silence as you watch a reprehensible protest become the very sad last stand of a confused individual lost in bitterness. And yet, Cantrell isn't satisfied with painting a black and white picture of hate. What drew me most about this play was how truly sorry one felt for the antagonist. A rare talent. I highly recommend this play. ”

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