Archive for category Productions

Video of “The Beautiful Ogre and Other Fairy Tales” in Indiana radio play

Here’s video of my ten-minute script THE BEAUTIFUL OGRE AND OTHER FAIRY TALES being done as a radio play before a live audience in Mitchell, Indiana on Feb. 5.

Another script of mine, CHICAGO DREAM, was also on the bill but the program ran long so the last four pieces were cut — one of which was CHICAGO DREAM. I’m told it’s likely to be on the bill for the May installment of “Hoosier Hometown Live.”

This was the sixth production of the script:

THE BEAUTIFUL OGRE AND OTHER FAIRY TALES
A father reads his daughter a fairy tale as a bedtime story — which the characters begin to act out. The girl doesn’t like how the story is going — no strong female role models, for instance — so she changes it all around. This is the result. Cast: Five — three males, two females. Running time: Eight minutes.
* Produced by the Paw Paw Village Players, Paw Paw, Michigan, Feb. 15-16, 22-23, 2008.
* Produced by Youth Education on Stage Summer Shorts, Williston, North Dakota, June 24-26, 2008.
* Produced by Subversive Theatre, Buffalo, N.Y., various nights between May 2-17, 2009.
* Produced by Play’n’Well Players, Plainview, Michigan, last weekend of May 2009.
* Produced by Jeonju Players, Jeonju, South Korea, December 2014
* Produced as script-in-hand radio play by Hoosier Hometown Live, Mitchell, Indiana, Feb. 5, 2016.

, , , , , , ,

Leave a comment

Productions coming up in Indiana and Minnesota

The poster for Hoosier Hometown Live.

The poster for Hoosier Hometown Live.

I have three short scripts being produced in February — two in Indiana and one in Minnesota.

“Hoosier Hometown Live” is a radio show based in Mitchell, Indiana. On February 5, the show will include two of my 10-minute plays — performed script-in-hand before a live audience at the Mitchell Opera House, and also broadcast over WBIW-AM.

The two scripts are THE BEAUTIFUL OGRE AND OTHER FAIRY TALES and CHICAGO DREAM. The former has been produced five times; the latter has never been on stage in any form.

UPDATE: The show ran long and dropped the last four pieces, one of which was CHICAGO DREAM.

Meanwhile, in Mankato, Minnesota, my one-minute script JIMMY’S PLAN FOR WORLD DOMINATION will be part of an open-mic theatre performance at the Curiosi-Tea House on Feb. 12. That production came through Elaine Hardwick, who last summer produced my ten-minute play THE SKY IS FALLING in Mankato.

Details and such below:

Read the rest of this entry »

, , , ,

Leave a comment

Photos from staged reading of “Rhonda’s High-Class Roadkill Chili”

I held a staged reading of RHONDA’S HIGH-CLASS ROADKILL CHILI on Saturday, January 2, 2016 at Showtimers in Roanoke. Here are some photos.

Heather Sexton shows how to make a stage armadillo -- one plastic rat, one pineapple fajita, minus the fajita.

Heather Sexton shows how to make a stage armadillo — one plastic rat, one pineapple fajita, minus the fajita. And something to bind them together.

Here’s the synopsis:

RHONDA’S HIGH-CLASS ROADKILL CHILI
Rhonda has never won anything in her life, so one of her sisters persuades her to enter a chili cook-off. Since time is tight, they decide on a roadkill recipe. Meanwhile, Rhonda’s husband is putting up Christmas lights out of season, because he’s determined to win the town contest that winter. When it turns out his light display is bright enough to be seen from outer space, things get more complicated. Aliens, and comedy, ensue. Cast: Nine, although two of those are bit parts at the end. The main cast is: Three adult females, two teen or pre-teen females, two adult males, and then the two small parts are two non-gender characters, although best played as males.

Now, let’s hit the highlights: Read the rest of this entry »

, , ,

Leave a comment

List of 2016 productions

Here’s a full list of my productions (and readings) for 2016:

* January 2: Staged reading of RHONDA’S HIGH-CLASS ROADKILL CHILI (full-length) at Showtimers, Roanoke, Virginia.
* January 28: MAC AND BETH (one-act), Cascade Christian Schools, Puyallup, Washington.
* January 30: HIT THE BOOKS (one-act), Greater Sioux Falls Home Schools, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
* Feb 5: Staged reading of THE BEAUTIFUL OGRE AND OTHER FAIRY TALES (ten-minute plays) as radio play before live audience, Hoosier Hometown Live, Mitchell, Indiana.
* Feb. 12: JIMMY’S PLAN FOR WORLD DOMINATION (one-minute play), Curiosi-Tea House, Mankato, Minnesota.
* Feb. 24: Staged reading of LARRY’S PLAN TO GET OUT OF DOING YARDWORK (five-minute), Readers Repertory Theatre, Los Angeles.
* Feb. 25: Staged reading of JILL AND THE BEANSTALK (one-act), Mitchell Community Public Library, Mitchell, Indiana.
* March 12: Staged reading of EXILED TO TEXAS, Roanoke Children’s Theatre, Roanoke, Virginia.
* March 19: Staged reading of 57 HOURS IN THE HOUSE OF CULTURE, Sweet Briar College, Sweet Briar, Virginia.
* March 19: Staged reading of PIECE OF CAKE (five-minute piece), Talif Productions, Theatre Momentum Pendulum Space, Chicago.
* April 22-24: CHEF PIERRE DOES NOT DO SIMPLE (ten-minute play), Dover Little Theatre, Dover, New Jersey.
* April 26: Staged reading of CAT ON TRIAL (five-minute play), Readers Theatre Repertory at San Pedro, Los Angeles.
* May 7-8: LETTERS FROM THE MONA LISA (ten-minute play), Jewel Box Theatre, Poulsbo, Washington.
* June 9-11: THE BIGFOOT SIGHTING and A MOMENT OF SILENCE (one-minute plays), Gone in 60 Seconds Festival, New York, NY.
* June 24-26, July 1-3, 8-10: THE BEAUTIFUL OGRE AND OTHER FAIRY TALES (ten-minute play), Garfield Center, Chestertown, Maryland.
* July 8-9: THE ZOOKEEPER’S ARM, 10-minute play produced in “Overnight Sensations,” a 24-hour play project run by Hollins University and Mill Mountain Theatre, Roanoke, Virginia.
* July 11: Staged reading of SOFTBALL IS LIFE, Endstation Theatre, Lynchburg, Virginia.
* July 21: Staged reading of SOMEWHERE TONIGHT, THE WASHINGTON SENATORS LAST GAME PLAYS ON, Chincoteague Theatre Company, Chincoteague, Virginia.
* July 23-24: Staged reading of A ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS (one-act), Princeton Theatre, Princeton, Illinois.
* July 25: TABLOID TABBY (five-minute), Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
* July 25: THE COLLEGE SQUIRRELS (five-minute), Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
* July 25: THE SECRET LIFE OF GOLDFISH: PIRATES! (five-minute), Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
* August 5-7, 12-14: THE BEAUTIFUL OGRE AND OTHER FAIRY TALES (ten-minute play), Open Space Arts, Reisterstown, Maryland.
* August 5-13: DEATH BY POINSETTIA (one-act), Artists Exchange, Cranston, Rhode Island.
* August 6: THE TALE OF THE WHALE (one-act), Historic North Theatre, Danville, Virginia.
* Sept. 4: PRETTY LITTLE WHITE LIES (very short play), Starcropolis festival, Roanoke, Virginia.
* Sept. 8-10, 15-17: LITTLE SUGAR (five-minute play), Asphalt Jungle Shorts, Kitchener, Ontario.
* Sept. 30, Oct. 1-2: THE PICTURE WINDOW (ten-minute play), North Park Playwrights Festival, North Park Vaudeville and Candy Shoppe, San Diego, California.
* October 26: Staged reading of THE MONEY HOUSE (one-act play), by Readers Repertory Theatre, Los Angeles.
* Nov. 3-6: CATCH OF THE DAY (one-act), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
* Nov. 6-9: A CHALKBOARD SCRIBBLED IN BLOOD (very short play), Rabbit’s Riot Theatre Company, Sligo, Ireland on 6-8, Manorhamilton, Ireland on the 9th.
* Nov. 8: THE FRUITCAKE (one-act), Sterling Public Schools, Sterling, Nebraska.
* Nov. 9-19: THE RECRUITER (five-minute play), Cone Man Running Festival, Obsidian Theatre, Houston, Texas.
* Dec. 1-2: MAC AND BETH (one-act), St. Petersburg High School, St. Petersburg, Florida.
* Dec. 2: THE FRUITCAKE (one-act), Walton High School Drama, DeFuniak Springs, Florida.
* Dec. 2-10: A ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS and SVETLANA’S FIRST CHRISTMAS AWAY FROM HOME (both one-acts) and abbreviated version of full-length JOSE AND MARIA, Victorian Players, Youngstown, Ohio.
* December 3 and 7: JILL AND THE BEANSTALK (one-act), by Patrick Henry Community College, Martinsville, Virginia.
* December 3: Staged reading of THE SEVEN MANAGEMENT LESSONS OF MACBETH (ten-minute play), by Arts Resources for the Tri-States, Huntington, West Virginia.
* December 8-9: JOY TO OTHER WORLDS (one-act), EskDale High School, Millard County, Utah
* December 14: FATHER CHRISTMAS (10-minute play), Tokomairiro High School, Milton, New Zealand.
* December 15: THE FRUITCAKE (one-act), Ramey Estep High School, Rush, Kentucky

,

1 Comment

“57 Hours in the House of Culture” to have staged reading at Sweet Briar College

My dark play about the 2002 Moscow theatre siege will come to life for a second time. Sweet Briar College (north of Lynchburg, Virginia) will hold a staged reading of 57 HOURS IN THE HOUSE OF CULTURE on Saturday, March 19, 2016.

I’m indebted to Sweet Briar theatre instructor Melora Kordos for arranging (and directing) this. She remembered the show from its previous production at Studio Roanoke in 2012.

The staged reading will be in the Pannell Gallery, which at that time will be hosting an exhibit called “Art For the People: Propaganda and Public Service.”

The reading is at 7:30 p.m. and is free.

You can find links about the previous production — and my 2016 production schedule below: Read the rest of this entry »

, , , ,

Leave a comment

Photos from “Let There Be Lights!” at Seton Hall

Here are some photos from Seton Hall University’s script-in-hand production of my Christmas one-act LET THERE BE LIGHTS!

Some of the cast.

Some of the cast.

More photos below: Read the rest of this entry »

, , , , ,

Leave a comment

More photos from “On the Thirteenth Day of Christmas” in New Jersey

Here’s another batch of photos from ON THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, now in production at the First Avenue Playhouse in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey.

The show starts with all the characters singing the classic song.

The show starts with all the characters singing the classic song.

Mr. Rudolph, the neighbor, can't sleep because of all the noise. From the gifts, that is, that are outside.

Mr. Rudolph, the neighbor, can’t sleep because of all the noise. From the gifts, that is, that are outside.

More below!

Read the rest of this entry »

, ,

Leave a comment

Review: “I laughed so much I was sore the next day!!!”

Someone going by the name NJJUDI — presumably New Jersey Judi — has posted this review on Trip Advisor about my play ON THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, now playing at First Avenue Playhouse in Atlantic Highlands.

It appears under the headline: “I laughed so much I was sore the next day!!!” (And yes, she really did include three exclamation marks!!!)


I have been visiting the First Avenue Playhouse in the Atlantic Highlands for 5 years now. Last Saturday, I saw one of the funniest ever. Called “The 13th Day of Christmas” it is a hysterical show about gift giving gone “ballistic”, as the director Dave McGrath says in the program. Come when the door open, a little before 8 pm, have dessert and coffee, make friends with other folks at your table, and be prepared to laugh and laugh. The hysterics begin as the show open, and continues until the very ( and surprising” end. The cast is made up of such talented local actors who are giving their all to entertain you. Make sure you see it. We have already suggested it as a fun night out to friends. We don’t have children but boy would they love it.

Here’s some background on the show below:

Read the rest of this entry »

, , , ,

Leave a comment

More video from “On the Thirteenth Day of Christmas” in New Jersey

Here are some more video highlights from ON THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, now in production in New Jersey at First Avenue Playhouse in Atlantic Highlands. I can’t swear that these are in any kind of order:

Mr. Rudolph mistakes Pookums for his night cap.

Veronica learns the consequences of un-milked cows.

Much more below: Read the rest of this entry »

, , , , , ,

Leave a comment

Photos from “On The Thirteenth Day of Christmas” in New Jersey

My full-length script ON THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS opened December 4 at First Avenue Playhouse in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. Director Dave McGrath shares these wonderful photos.

Someone sends a young woman every gift in the Twelve Days of Christmas. Now it's the thirteenth day and what happens? She gets evicted from her apartment, of course.

Someone sends a young woman every gift in the Twelve Days of Christmas. Now it’s the thirteenth day and what happens? She gets evicted from her apartment, of course.

Look at all that stuff out there. Oh, that's one of the maids a-milking who has come inside.

Look at all that stuff out there. Oh, that’s one of the maids a-milking who has come inside.

A close-up of the maid a-milking.

A close-up of the maid a-milking.

Great. Just great. An unhappy neighbor who can't sleep because of all the racket. Could it get any worse?

Great. Just great. An unhappy neighbor who can’t sleep because of all the racket. Could it get any worse?

Why yes, yes, it could. Television reporters show up.

Why yes, yes, it could. Television reporters show up.

Cee Cee and Dee Dee show up for a front-row seat for all the action.

Cee Cee and Dee Dee show up for a front-row seat for all the action.

You can find even more photos here — and more info below:

Read the rest of this entry »

, , , , ,

Leave a comment