Jaxson Mackling

What happens when you wanna change a surname that's been in your family for 100s of years?

A gay male doesn't understand why people can't respect others for being who they are.

FULL LENGTH. 69 PAGES. NEW DRAFT (3/21/2025)

Reading: States of Play, New Jersey, July 2023
Reading: The Literary and Discourse Society, England, August 2023
Licensed at Next Stage Press starting October 1st.

This full length queer crime family drama follows brothers Danny and Travis Greenwood as they unravel the crime of their deceased sister Willow, and who exactly killed her. As Danny and Travis formulate a plan to catch the killer, we realize that Travis’ wife Erin may be hiding her sexuality and past relationships from both her current partner, Detective Gwyneth Berkeley and her family. To try and rekindle their relationship, Erin decides to propose Gwyneth during Willow’s funeral celebration nonetheless - which backfires. This sends everyone into a spiral, hurting Danny the most, leading him to try and commit suicide, landing him unconscious in a hospital room and grasping at straws with his former lover. Once Danny recovers, it’s now up to him and Travis to find out who really killed their sister out of love or closure.

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: WRITING PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS Prompt 17: Mythical Creatures, Legends, and Fairytales

Can we bring back childlike wonder if its lost? Can we blast the sterotypes of young children?

My current feelings about love and relationships.

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: WRITING PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS - Prompt 16: Women's Mental Health.

In a world so bleak and dim, your mental health matters.

The Plays:
Do Better Or We Quit
It Takes Time
Friends (Not With Benefits)

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: WRITING PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS - Prompt 15: Short Film Inspiration; Inspired by Two Cars, One Night by Taika Waitati

What Age Should Children Learn To Drive?

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS Prompt 14: Psychological Thrillers/Horror

A support group to help you face your fears, what could go wrong?

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS - Prompt 13: A Bench Play

BETH, an rigious arts activist, and JANINE a sports mom meet in a park and devise a plan to UNITE.

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS Prompt 12: Secrets.

JX runs through the secrets of his past relationships, only to reveal a secret he's been keeping from himself.

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS Prompt 11: Magic Five

Random Word Generator Words: Breeze, Bomber, Red, Resignation, Hardship

In the aftermath of a patients death, a gunman wants to kill the people responsible for his wife’s death, but when a bomb threat is placed on the hospital that throws a wrench in his plan. Can the hospital board reconcile with the gunman and save the hospital simulateously from the bomb threat, or will they need to save their asses from a possible lawsuit?

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: WRITING PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS Prompt 10: Ophelia

TRENTON misses his first love, can his friend VICTOR help him out?

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: Prompts for Playwrights Prompt 9 - Return to Nature.

People are enraged about six more weeks of winter, and someone is finally here to speak the truth of all Midwesterners.

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS Prompt 8: Motherhood/Fatherhood/Parenthood.

JAMIE and MONICA lost their daughter to a Pride Parade attack last June. When they struggle with infertility, Jamie gets the opportunity to babysit his nieces, and when he returns pregnancy might be in the couple's near future.

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: Prompts for Playwrights - Prompt 7: Abuse of Power

A SA survivor finally gets to tell his abuser what he really thought of the situation.

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: WRITING PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS Prompt 6: Bravery.
What does it mean to be brave? Answer the question.

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS Prompt 5: Salaam-E-Ishq – titular song from the 2007 Bollywood Favorite Salaam-E-Ishq.

A man who wants his life back and a woman who is misunderstood. Can a chance encounter bring them back to the places they once knew?

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS 2025. Prompt Day 4: Beauty.
ELDRIN sparks up a unique friendly connection with DRAVEN while on a quest to find his grandfather. What does it all mean?

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: WRITING PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS 2025 - Prompt Day 3: Opposites Attract - A Two-Hander.
Do opposites attract? What if it's someone you least expected? What if you're not ready?

WRITTEN FOR VALENCIA COLLEGE'S 2025 ONE ACT FESTIVAL
UPDATED FOR FACING FEBRUARY: PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS Prompt 2: “Coming Of Age”

Jack has fallen into the depths of online dating. Can his sister give him helpful advice and pull him out?

WRITTEN FOR FACING FEBRUARY: PROMPTS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS Prompt #1: "This [insert any holiday here] is going to be different."

What happens when your friend reminds you of a tradition, but this year the bank gets involved?

Who truly knows what is right and wrong in this world? When Mother Nature is dying and about to leave Earth, she prepares her four daughters to take over. Can they handle it, or will they have band together to figure this new world on their own?

WRITTEN FOR VALENCIA COLLEGE'S 2025 ONE ACT FESTIVAL

**This script deals with cyberbullying and violence.

Can one face their offender after being humiliated? Not only to get answers, but to make amends?

Planning for a summer block party during a 110-degree heatwave? Not possible. Leave it up to Addison and Chanel to find other fun even if means revealing secrets that might bring them closer together.

One Act. 46 pages. Updated (1/14/2024)

Formerly titled "In This"

After an unlawful breakup on both parties, Walsh and Emilia’s fates are not only at the hands of themselves, but possibly each other. While Emilia comes to terms with her aunt's auto-immune disease, Walsh begins to piece together his own identity, not only as a person but as a partner. Set in the upper streets of New York, New York, a series of hardships make these roommates truly realize if breaking up was the best option.

17 PAGES. (20-MINUTE DRAMA) (INTERMISSIONLESS)

New Draft (5/19/23)

This play was commissioned for Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre and Millikin University in Decatur, IL.

After a night out with his best friend Max, Tyler comes back to their hotel room, contemplating his life choices. In the heat of a heart-to-heart, a faulty promise, and a handwritten note; a knock at the door breaks the bond of friendship out of proportion....or maybe something better.

1 1/2 Minute Monologue

A 20-something is ready to be himself!

A One Minute Play.

A typical meet-cute between two guys.

10 MINUTE

Newly Updated! (5/21/23)

Best Friends Tate and Sienna have decided to spend a week together, but when Tate stays longer than expected, Sienna starts to become worried, and the night reveals the start of an unexpected adventure in both their own lives and their friendship.

When is the right time to move on? Maybe after a tramatic event, or possibly after a surprise you weren't expecting? For one of these four individuals, facing her look back on going to be tough.

Facing February Prompt 1: "Travel Surprises"

9 PAGES. (10 Minute)

Sometimes the smallest of memories can make the best of days.

7 PAGES. (10 minute)

When Colleen takes her son Brett out for a day of shopping on Black Friday, Brett soon learns the cold hard truth about Christmas, though once he realizes...he might just take the reins.

8 PAGES. (10 Minute)

Written for a college level statistics course.

The mathematics in this play are in conjunction with Dr. Paula Stickles.

During the final weeks of Cole’s fall semester-sophomore year, the aftermath of a meeting with a behavior specialist, and an ugly trope of self-finding could turn Cole’s, once mathematical genius life, upside down.

(3 PAGES). 2-3 MINUTES.

This play in essence is a companion piece following “Just Breathe”. I’ve written this piece in such a way that it can be performed as a standalone, or with its companion.

Cole is on summer vacation and his final grades for sophomore year have been posted. What is he feeling...

8 PAGES. (8-10 Minutes)
When two strangers meet in a bar, pasts unfold and futures persist.

1 PAGE. (3 Minute Monologue)

Right before going in for an audition, an actor decides to change their tune.

8 PAGES. (10 Minute)
In a dystopian world, Peter meets his doppelgänger who brings him an ultimatum, that might just change his life.

8 PAGES. (10 MINUTE)

Jenna invites Beth over for a girls night, and poof there’s a tree sitting in the living room...before Christmas! This is a crime!

7 PAGES. (5-10 Minutes)

When Nessa and Lincoln get each other as their secret Santa, a night of gift giving turns into an adventure of the heart and the hearts of their persons.

TEN MINUTE (Updated 9/3/22 - minor changes)

* This play does contain themes of autism, drug trafficking, and drug cartel.

After a surprise visit to make his birthday wonderful, one question still looms over Julian’s head, “Where’s mom?”

New Draft (2/12/2023)

5 MINUTE

A personal stylist helps an older model combat her aging appearance, only to realize something deeper.

7 PAGES. (10-15 Minutes)
For Jack, playwriting is art form. An art form of expression as to where you are intertwined with every story that you write;...until one day when his mind goes blank, and irresponsibility takes over, changing his life for the better. Maybe even with the help of Tony Kushner.

Updated (7/19/22)

10 MINUTE

Julia has just broken up with — who she swore was her last boyfriend — and kicked him to the curb. Now she’s decided to refurnish her coveted apartment in more “her style”; although when she hires a painter, who doesn’t seem like her type at all, there is something about him.

6 PAGES. 5 MINUTE

Bruce, an upright farmer is ceased to believe that he has nine chickens, yet his daughter is pruned to believe he’s just up to antics again...until the real truth comes out.

10 MINUTE (Updated 2/22/23)

*This play does contain the subject of endangerment.*

Benny, an up-and-coming photographer asks his best friend, and their partner to come to support a showcase he’s featured in, although when they get a glimpse of his newest work, they both begin to question his creditability as an artist, friend, and ultimately a human being.

Updated (1/12/23)

5 MINUTE

When two strangers meet on a subway platform, the phrase "Don't talk to strangers." goes better than planned.

10 MINUTE

A mother and daughter discuss how dreams aren’t always everything.

1 Page. 2 Minute Monologue.
Sometimes when playing Wii Baseball alone, players may conclude they never wanna play again.