Recommended by Olivia Haller

  • Billy to His Friends
    18 Jun. 2020
    At turns poignant and campy, this play does a fantastic job of utilizing the bones of history to craft a narrative that is compelling and not bogged down by the details. As someone who isn't always turned on by historical fiction, I found myself very much drawn to these characters and their voices. The emotional life of this play is vivid, and its themes of navigating LGBT identity publicly have a chilling resonance today. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how this play develops!
  • Much Undone
    6 May. 2020
    This play is delightful! It is hilarious and theatrical while speaking incisive truths about marriage and gender roles. An incredible answer to MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING that everyone can (and should!) appreciate and think about.
  • Georgia Avenue Nocturne
    21 Mar. 2020
    Johnson's imagery and the atmosphere he conjures are intoxicating. His dialogue is poetic in a way that both soothed my heart and scorched it as well. This play has volumes to say on the nature of love, relationships, and the divine nature of souls, while also speaking directly to the violence faced by the trans community. I was especially moved by one of Mack's lines, "Things, once broken, cannot go back to the way they once were. They must accept that they’re something entirely new."
    This play will stick with me for a while.
  • The Pitchforks
    4 Oct. 2019
    I read this play months ago and am still thinking about it. I've told multiple people to read it not only because it makes an important, timely statement about our culture's sexual taboos, but is also just a good, thrilling ride. Someone please produce it so I can tell everyone to see it instead!
  • Buried
    4 Oct. 2019
    This play subverted my expectations in the best possible way. It presented an intimate glimpse into the relationship between two siblings without defining them by their circumstances. I saw a reading at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference and would love to see it produced.
  • Make Way
    4 Oct. 2019
    Do we hold on to terrible books in order to teach people why they're terrible, or destroy them forever? If we choose to destroy them, who gets to say which books are terrible? The way this play engages with the idea of censorship and the way the playwright fleshes out the landscape of this alternate reality are deeply intriguing. Osmundsen possesses a strong artistic voice that we should all be listening to right now.
  • Overqualified
    4 Oct. 2019
    This play is deeply cathartic for young college grads on the job hunt. I loved this play's theatricality, and think it would be an exciting opportunity to showcase a skilled female actor. Very funny and timely!
  • Saga
    4 Oct. 2019
    I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. This play checks off all my boxes: original premise, sharp dialogue, interesting characters, high theatricality, and Buffy references. I appreciated the questions this play brought up around expectations of women and what it means to be "strong and independent." Please produce so I can watch it again!
  • Everything But Dead
    4 Oct. 2019
    I saw this play at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference and was immediately drawn in by the characters. The script subverted my expectations of the situation and left me chewing on the questions that the play brought up after the reading was over. A timely and provocative piece.
  • Inevitable
    4 Oct. 2019
    This delightful play is highly theatrical and would be a playground for directors and designers. The dialogue is smart and sharp and kept me laughing throughout. So fun - would love to see it produced.

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