John Medlin

John Medlin

John is a playwright and dramaturg from Shreveport, Louisiana. They graduated with their Master's of Letters in Dramaturgy and Playwrighting from the University of Glasgow with honors in 2023. Their work has earned them a multitude of awards including a runner up placement in the Del Shores Foundation Writer Search, a second round pick placement in Austin Film Fest, and a National Award of Merit in...
John is a playwright and dramaturg from Shreveport, Louisiana. They graduated with their Master's of Letters in Dramaturgy and Playwrighting from the University of Glasgow with honors in 2023. Their work has earned them a multitude of awards including a runner up placement in the Del Shores Foundation Writer Search, a second round pick placement in Austin Film Fest, and a National Award of Merit in Playwrighting from the Fine Arts Foundation. Their studies focused on LGBTQIA+ performance history, horror history, and the intersectional dramaturgies.

Plays

  • Coming Out Part I: From Eden by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    7–10
    ·
    Genre: adventure, comedy + 5 more
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    Keyword: gay bar, queer history + 5 more
    Genre: adventure, comedy, dark comedy, drama, fable/folktale, fantasy, political
    Keyword: gay bar, queer history, Sodom and Gomorrah, the end of the world, The American God, Christian Nationalism, Time travel Theatre of the Fabulous
    *New*
    Full-length comedy

    Four heroes are called by Chronos, the Greek God of Linear Time, to band together and stop the deified projection of Christian Nationalism from ending the world. When a strange straight man arrives at their meeting ground, things turn sour quickly. Adam is bleeding out on the ground, Mason is unconscious and tied to a chair, the rest of the heroes are bickering...
    *New*
    Full-length comedy

    Four heroes are called by Chronos, the Greek God of Linear Time, to band together and stop the deified projection of Christian Nationalism from ending the world. When a strange straight man arrives at their meeting ground, things turn sour quickly. Adam is bleeding out on the ground, Mason is unconscious and tied to a chair, the rest of the heroes are bickering amongst themself, and the American God approaches. Chronos has no choice but to save Adam, the stranger in their midst, and send him back on an epic quest. Adam must change the past and call these heroes to action, or risk welcoming in the end of times.
  • Ghost Light by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 5
    ·
    Cast: 
    4–5
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 1 more
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    Keyword: trauma, haunting + 7 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, horror
    Keyword: trauma, haunting, Funeral of a Patriarch, adopted child, abusive Father, LGBTQIA+ themes, grief and healing, sexual assault, demonic possession
    *Updated 11/22/23*
    Full-Length Southern Gothic Horror

    Tiana, Esther, and Luke thought they had left their pasts behind. When their father suddenly passes away, the three are forced to return to their family home. Strange things happen around the house convincing Tiana that her recently deceased father might not be done with them. The three are forced to confront the ghosts of their past if...
    *Updated 11/22/23*
    Full-Length Southern Gothic Horror

    Tiana, Esther, and Luke thought they had left their pasts behind. When their father suddenly passes away, the three are forced to return to their family home. Strange things happen around the house convincing Tiana that her recently deceased father might not be done with them. The three are forced to confront the ghosts of their past if they ever hope to be able to face the ghost in the present. This is a story of trauma, grief, and the complex bonds that tie families together.
  • Hey, Kiddo by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 5
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 2 more
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    Keyword: LGBTQIA+, homophobia + 6 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, horror, mystery/thriller
    Keyword: LGBTQIA+, homophobia, strong female character, Gay lead, Found Footage, projection design, Gore, stage combat
    20 MINUTE PLAY.

    Jonathan and Katye arrive at a cabin in the woods to film their dream movie in a home run studio. When they meet the strange host, Michael, they must quickly decide if their film is worth the chance of losing their lives.
  • Break a Leg by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 6
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    Cast: 
    2–3
    ·
    Genre: horror
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    Keyword: Theatre superstitions, EMF + 6 more
    Genre: horror
    Keyword: Theatre superstitions, EMF, Spirit box, Ghost light, haunted theatre, life after death, paranormal activity, ghost hunter
    10-Minute Horror

    Bridgette and Xander stay in a theatre late at night to find evidence of a haunting. When they're about to give up hope, a ghostly visitor starts to give them signs. Is this spirit friendly, or is there something sinister at play?
  • Fix it Quik Autoshop by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 4
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    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, farce
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    Keyword: auto shop, mechanic + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, farce
    Keyword: auto shop, mechanic, disguise, a short comedy, embarrassment, humiliation
    A 10-minute comedy (updated 5/4/2023)

    It's hard to be a woman in a male-dominated industry. That doesn't stop Kylie from being the best at what she does. This short comedy has Kylie face off against Brett, a misogynistic customer, as she tries to find out what is wrong with his machinery.
  • A Night on the Bridge by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 10
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama, political
    ·
    Keyword: Depression, suicide + 6 more
    Genre: drama, political
    Keyword: Depression, suicide, woman's rights, poetry, atmospheric, sexual assault, a short drama, Adaptable for a Radio Drama
    10-minute play

    Woman crosses a bridge alone at night. She stops halfway through, and peers over. Man approaches. Neither are aware how much this following conversation will shape their lives.
  • The Pro-Life Horror; or a Pro-Choice Farce by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, farce + 2 more
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    Keyword: abortion rights, Pro Choice + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, farce, political, satire
    Keyword: abortion rights, Pro Choice, irreverent, abortion clinic, protestor, mistaken identity
    15 Minute Farce
    28 Plays Later Prompt- Write a Political Farce

    Welcome to Lucy Fir's abortion clinic. Where your mistakes are our pleasure. The Pro-Life Horror is a political farce highlighting some of the absurdities about abortion from the far-right circle. This piece is dark, irreverent, and sometimes funny. Inspiration was drawn from "A Modest Proposal".
  • Times Out/Time to Begin Again by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 6
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama, experimental + 2 more
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    Keyword: afterlife, reincarnation + 7 more
    Genre: drama, experimental, fable/folktale, fantasy
    Keyword: afterlife, reincarnation, creation, evolution, supernatural, Hope, Pandora, Eden, despair
    10-minute play

    Pete is enjoying a quiet day at the office when Eden arrives with no memory of where she came from. What perplexes Pete is no one has been to his office in many millennia. Together, they must solve the mystery of who she is and where she must go next.
  • The Sphynx by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, fantasy
    ·
    Keyword: riddle, Sphinx + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, fantasy
    Keyword: riddle, Sphinx, bro, Looking for a bathroom, failure to communicate, language barrier
    A 1-Minute Play
    28 Plays Later Day 5 - Prompt: A riddle

    Bro has to answer three questions from the Sphynx. If he fails, he may be eaten alive.
  • Blue/Red by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    4–20
    ·
    Genre: experimental
    ·
    Keyword: perspective, atmospheric + 1 more
    Genre: experimental
    Keyword: perspective, atmospheric, minimalistic
    A short play
    28 Plays Later Prompt 6 - Write whatever is on your mind

    The people of red and blue have discourse. Modeled after the dialogue of Caryl Churchill
  • Hey, Girlie by John Medlin
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, horror
    ·
    Keyword: Final Girl, slasher + 2 more
    Genre: dark comedy, horror
    Keyword: Final Girl, slasher, Good for Her horror, cabin in the woods
    A 5-minute spinoff
    28 Plays later prompt 7 - Alternate Realities

    An alternate reality of Hey, Kiddo where Katye embodies the final girl energy within her. This is an alternate climax to my 20-minute play.
  • Captured Memory: A Ten-Minute Musical to "Photograph" by Cody Fry by John Medlin
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama, movement/physical + 1 more
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    Keyword: grief, memory + 3 more
    Genre: drama, movement/physical, musical
    Keyword: grief, memory, love, death of a spouse, Photo Album
    Andi flips through a photo album. The memories within form a world around them, where they are reunited with whom they once loved.
  • Like a Broken Record by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: Depression, suicide + 5 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, fantasy, political
    Keyword: Depression, suicide, change, History, queer history, futility, activism
    A short monologue

    GAUGE, a non-binary Wiccan from the Midwest, has tried for years to educate the masses of Queer History and the cycles of violence against marginalized groups. This scene takes place at a bar. They are there trying to delve into the history of the bar, but those there seem apathetic to their cause. Chronos and Adam attempt to recruit them for a mission to save the world. This is their response.
  • Taking Back Eden by John Medlin
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: memory, melding + 7 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, fable/folktale, fantasy, political
    Keyword: memory, melding, melting pot, time, regret, revenge, the garden of eden, god, religious corruption
    A short monologue

    CHRONOS, the Greek god of linear time, recalls how their relationship with America’s God got so complicated. This helps them to find their reason to keep fighting. This monologue was pulled from the beginning of Act 3 of Coming Out Part 1. It is direct address.
  • You'll be Missed, Stephen Sondheim by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 7
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: Mourning, remembering + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: Mourning, remembering, Stephen Sondheim, monologue
    28 Plays Later - Day 3
    A monologue

    A person reflects on the impact Stephen Sondheim had on their life.
  • F*#@ Edward Gordon Craig by John Medlin
    Recommendations: 6
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy, experimental + 4 more
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    Keyword: avant-garde, Edward Gordon Craig + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, experimental, movement/physical, parody/spoof, political, satire
    Keyword: avant-garde, Edward Gordon Craig, satire, cultural appropriation, Orientalism, Rage writing
    Five-minute play - prompt 2 of 28 play - a play to be performed one time

    Edward Gordon Craig sucks. This play is an exploration as to why.
  • A Brush with Death by John Medlin
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, horror + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: murder, Gore + 4 more
    Genre: dark comedy, horror, tragedy
    Keyword: murder, Gore, slasher, bloody, artist, gallery opening
    WIP
    Full-length body horror

    Phoenix is desperate for their first gallery to be successful. When they get stuck between the unrealistic expectations of critics, the greed of producers, and the obsession of their partner, they resort to extreme measures to create art that will please all. No matter what the cost.