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Matthew Weaver

Recommended by Matthew Weaver

  • I Knew It! by Scott Sickles
    1 Jan. 2021
    “ Great roles for strong women, as Francesa and Jodilyn are forced to confront an ... uncomfortable reality. Can they choose to live with it? And if they can, what sort of life, exactly, are they choosing?
    Sickles offers a treasure trove, a smorgasbord of layered emotion to performers starved for wit, intelligence, good humor and nuance. Select this play for your festival instead of another 10-minute where women are mute or invisible.
    I strongly suspect many people in the audience will shift uncomfortably in their seats or nod knowingly, while glancing around to see if every eye is upon them. ”
  • O, For a Muse of Fire by Scott Sickles
    1 Jan. 2021
    “ A very realistic depiction of the aftermath of a tragic accident, in which a reknowned artist is not able to suddenly pick up where he left off and there is no magic recovery, no easy answer, no medical miracle. Sickles deserves credit for this alone.
    But ...
    O, FOR A MUSE OF FIRE is also very, very funny. Deeply so, which makes the sadness of the situation carry all that much extra oomph. Lane and Vaughn have well and truly lost something, many somethings, and that which they have lost is irretrievable.
    Expect audiences to leave laughing, and teary-eyed. ”
  • The Steps by Scott Sickles
    1 Jan. 2021
    “ There is something about Sickles' kid characters. They are dark, gloomy, maudlin and preternaturally intelligent ... and a delight! Circumstances have forced them to become wise beyond their years, and yet Sickles never loses sight of their innocence, to boot.
    THE STEPS is revelatory in that it gives the audience a glimpse into the entire universe contained within each child - from an eerie photo prompt. Sickles shows how far apart they are, and the places where they overlap, and the gaps between love and respect are real and heartbreaking and REAL.
    Sickles spins a simple photograph into theatrical gold. ”
  • The Baddest Kid on Emerson by Steven G. Martin
    29 Dec. 2020
    “ This ... did not go any of the places I expected it to go.
    This has all the trademarks of Steve Martin's finest work, including the fact that he will take all of those finely honed, well-earned trademarks and deliver something completely unexpected and profound and, in BADDEST KID ON EMERSON's case, completely, utterly shocking.
    Here Martin offers a short play that is like TWILIGHT ZONE run through a BLACK MIRROR blender, only his satire is even more savage and unflinching and he discards any sense of sci-fi for commentary on just how we treat our heroes. Raw and ANGRY. ”
  • How Jamie's Hatred of Smoking Brought About the End of Civilization as We Know It by DC Cathro
    22 Dec. 2020
    “ BOOM. Cathro delivers one hell of a 10-minute play (show this one to the 10-minute play haters) in a post-apocalyptic, Rapturous feelgood that is the perfect read (and mayhap even a production, nudge nudge wink wink) in these waning days of 2020. This play is Ivesian (very much a compliment) and devilishly clever. Right up there with some of my favorites on NPX. Wish fulfillment (with a healthy dose of Monkey's Paw) at its very best. I particularly like how PLAUSIBLE Cathro makes it all seem. Pure delight, from beginning to wonderful end. ”
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtledoves by Evan Baughfman
    19 Dec. 2020
    “ I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS.
    Baughfman takes a pop culture phenomenon and a crucial song lyric from a Christmas mainstay, and more than makes both his own, offering a great role for young women teenage performers (!!!!) in a play fit for a winter festival (!!!!)
    It's smart, it's clever, it's knowing, it's kind. It advocates for youth, and for art and, of course, it advocates for pizza, in its own quiet way.
    Baughfman's concepts are envy-worthy.
    You know what? I'm just gonna go ahead and declare this part of the TMNT canon, now.
    Cowabunga, indeed.
    **nods firmly**
    Cowabunga, indeed. ”
  • the broad of your back by Miranda Jonté
    17 Dec. 2020
    “ Sensuous, provocative, steamy and evocative!
    Jonte presents a monologue devoted to the gaze upon men, and it's everything a fearless monologue performer could want, particularly those seeking to level a challenge to audiences and whoever else might be paying attention.
    Jonte's words sing, and it would be fascinating, and life-affirming, to watch her, and other high-caliber performers, bring them to life.
    It's an ode to sex, to love, to men - "the manhandle thing? handle me, man" - to joy.
    Select this monologue for your festival and make sure you have an extinguisher nearby for when the words catch fire.
    ”
  • Field Guide to the North American Osprey by Trish Cole
    10 Dec. 2020
    “ A very moving play about grief and birds.
    Cole writes a play that's about what it's about without ever out and out saying it, until she does, which makes for a very poignant tale about a devastated couple trying to find their way back to each other. In some ways, this is kind of like watching a play out of the corner of one's eye, which heightens the tension and adds further layers to the unfathomable. Ospreys are the subject, and the stand-in, and the coping mechanism.
    Very good words from Cole. Many mourning couples will find much to relate. ”
  • What A Piece of Work is Ham (One-Act Edition) by Hayley St. James
    8 Dec. 2020
    “ Shakespearean aficionados and students the world over will find much to delight within St. James' first writing!
    A clever, contemporary prequel that captures and lightly tweaks so much of the classic play, while also offering us glimpses of many of the attributes that I suspect are and will become mainstays in St. James' own body of work.
    AND, it's funny.
    AND, it's fun.
    AND, it's sharp as hell.
    Teachers and drama teachers: Give these words to your students. There is much within these pages to respect and admire.
    Hayley: John Cariani would be proud, methinks. ”
  • Too Hard A Knot - a short play by Hayley St. James
    8 Dec. 2020
    “ And here St. James plays with Shakespearean puns most delightful, hopeful youth and then proves themself to be a master of suspense. This is a short play, but definitely NOT insignificant. We the audience are left as puzzled as Dauphine, perhaps even moreso, as we worry, and possibly mourn. Hopefully St. James is eventually moved to continue the story; I think there's a longer tale in here, bursting to come out. At least I hope so!
    St. James has a skill for deep characterizations of folks we probably bump into each day (or we did, before the pandemic). More, please. ”

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