Phil Paradis

One-man show. Inspired by the life and writings of Emerson, Set in Concord, Massachusetts in 1871. Sixty minutes.

Inspired by the World War I Christmas Truce of 1914. Two acts. I hr. and 45 min. SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS is an epic tale of war and peace set in No-man’s-land in Belgium in late December of 1914, dramatizing the Great War’s effects on front-line soldiers as well as on their loved ones and families at home. This original play with song presents the personal stories of disenchanted, battle-weary British and German soldiers who throw down their rifles, leave the mud of the trenches, and join hands in one of history’s most astonishing Christmas celebrations.

One-man show. 50-70 min. Experience The Red Badge of Courage author’s humor and charm. Hear Stephen Crane's remarkable tales of shipwreck, Teddy Roosevelt and The Rough Riders, his life as a journalist, poet, novelist, and war correspondent. Learn how Crane became an early champion of Women’s Rights. Meet the man who inspired Ernest Hemingway and the “Lost Generation.”

Time: August, 1899 Place: Crane home at Brede Place, Sussex, England

On this evening, Stephen Crane’s wife Cora has invited Americans traveling abroad to meet the American hero and famous author of The Red Badge of Courage. Although usually reserved, Crane interrupts his work and entertains guests with stories about The Red Badge of Courage, Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders, the Dora Clark Affair, as well as about his family, education, and literary career. Illuminating his life and times, Crane, the international celebrity, renowned novelist, poet, journalist, and war correspondent, reveals the humor, wit, and charm that made him famous and beloved among friends and contemporaries.

Five one-act plays dealing with climate change, global warming, environmental degradation, and costs of war. Produced by James Jennings & Laurie Waugh, American Theatre of Actors, New York, NY, November 13-24, 2019. FOOTPRINTS OF THE POLAR BEAR. BREAKING GULF NEWS. GOD IS A FORD MAN. NATURAL RARITIES UP FOR BID. THE PERFECT PLACE. See individual play descriptions below.

30 min. A disturbed and homeless Gulf War veteran obsessed with climate change, politics, and polar bears, retreats to his perch on a New York City bridge where he meets a young Emergency Medical Technician determined to save him. Produced by James Jennings & Laurie Waugh, American Theatre of Actors, NYC, November 13-24, 2019

10 min. Network news anchor interviews the CEO of a big oil company and a Coastguard spokesman about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill cleanup. The Coastguard spokesman chastises the CEO about lingering pollution in the Gulf and its impacts on wildlife as the CEO attempts to buy the Guardsman's silence.

An elderly man tells why God has wrought sink-hole destruction of the National Corvette Museum as vengeance upon General Motors for the Apollo astronauts' purloining moon rocks. He expresses his views about the end of days, his faith, politics, climate change, God's creation and the order of the universe. 10 min.

10 min. At a futuristic auction, a trillionaire spends millions for water and soil samples
at a fund-raiser for researching and developing food from crude oil.

10 min. A grandfather takes his teenage grandson on a hike to plant a tree but first he must pry the kid away from his cellphone and try to close the generation gap.

Three comedies and two dramas. Plays 10-20 min. each. Total 80 min. WHISTLE STOP ROMANCE, THE HOLEY SWISS DUET, LOVE KNOTS, HAPPY THANKSGIVING AT LUI'S GOLDEN DRAGON, and SUNNY SIDE. See individual play descriptions below.

22 min. A young schoolteacher returns home only to confront her former fiance who tries to win her back.

10 min. Elderly woman visits her local deli-man to complain about the cheese she bought last time.

30 min. Four 20-something--30-something couples face the knotty challenges of relationships and love while vacationing at a lake-side resort. All face difficult personal choices that will impact their lives and futures.

12 min. Two young newlyweds celebrate their first Thanksgiving together, a "memorable train wreck." A frozen turkey is thrown through the windshield of their neighbor's BMW.

10 min. Out for a walk in the park on a sunny day, an older gentleman breaks the ice with a suspicious older woman who overcomes her fears and finally allows herself to talk to a strange man. They soon discover their similar circumstances.

RED BADGE AUTHOR BRAVE AS HIS HERO presents the story of young Stephen Crane, author of The Red Badge of Courage. Based on true events, the drama depicts Crane's gallant sacrifice on behalf of a girl of the streets. The youthful idealist confronts the entrenched power brokers of New York's Gilded Age in a cause celebre, winning accolades and ridicule from the press as he undergoes a loss of innocence. This Gilded Age costume and courtroom drama is set in 1896 during the days of Tammany Hall, yellow journalism, social reform, and the dawning of women's rights. At the height of his fame, twenty-five-year-old Stephen Crane is following in the footsteps of his family of writers when he meets Teddy Roosevelt, the Reform Commissioner of the New York City Police Board. The idealistic Stephen, desiring to use his talents to serve humanity, identifies and sympathizes with the embattled Commissioner who is reforming the New York City Police Department, which the Lexow Committee exposed as corrupt the previous year.

20 min. Newlyweds from New York move to the Southwest but hit a snag in their relationship when the husband discovers he's allergic to his wife's kitty cat.

10 min. On a visit to the Empire State Building with his family, a father discovers that his wife is missing.

10 min. Two presidential candidates square off for their final debate.

45 min. After his mother dies, a white grocery clerk wanders into a city park giving away food and trying to understand his mother's legacy. He meets two young black men who also carry baggage about their mothers.

10 min. Chronically ill woman decides to try a newly advertised drug but must overcome here fear of possible side effects.

20 min. A university department chair and a newly hired assistant professor play racquetball as they discuss requirements for tenure.

10 min. An old woman talks to her many cats, shedding light on the mystery of her husband's disappearance.

20 min. Widower and his daughter confront one another after the death of her husband.

Comedy and drama. Two monologues, three two-handers, and one three-hander for mature actors who are or can act 55 and above. The Perfect Place, Rx: Try Hilaria Now, Sunny Side, The Holey Swiss Duet, Mamma's Little Darlings, and God Is a Ford Man. 75 min.

90 min. Carpe Diem, A New Boyfriend, Daddy's Little Girl, and Racquetball.

90 min. The Kitty Cat Ultimatum, Happy Thanksgiving at Lui's Golden Dragon, Love Knots, Whistle Stop Romance, and Powder Puff Heist.

15 min.

10 min. A desperate single mother robs a bank to provide Christmas for her three kids and meets a sympathetic teller.

15 min.