Archive for category Productions

Video: “The Secret Lives of Goldfish” at Liminal gallery

I have a series of short pieces called “The Secret Lives of Goldfish” in which I take a humorous look at two goldfish, one of whom has delusions of grandeur, the other of whom is very much aware of its piscene limitations.

One of those pieces — “The Secret Lives of Goldfish, volume 4: Hot for the Deep Sea Driver” — was performed as a staged reading Oct. 25 at one of the regular readings hosted by the Liminal alternative artspace gallery in Roanoke.

Two students from Community High School — Celine Anderson and Frank Finch — were the goldfish in question.

(There’s a male version of this particular piece. That’s volume 3: “Hot for the Mermaid.” Same piece, just genders reversed.)

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“The Kissing Consultant” wins praise in South Africa

As previously noted, my one-act “The Kissing Consultant” was produced last year by a school in South Africa — a fact I only recently became aware of. (Sometimes, play publishers take a while in reporting these things.)

I’ve since searched the ‘net and found this brief mention of the show (along with a photo)  in The North Eastern Tribune, a South African newspaper.

My script, it seems, was Athlone Girls High School entry in the local one-act competition. The school doesn’t appear to have won, but s0me of the actors were commended individually. Additionally, the paper reported: “The judges commended the play for its character work.”

The script is published by Brooklyn Publishers.

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Video: “Christmas Music” at Gone in 60 Seconds Festival, U.K.

Still more video discoveries! Here’s “Christmas Music (or, The Excecutioner’s Song, the Turkey Edition” which was produced at the Gone in 60 Seconds Festival of one-minute plays in Halifax, U.K. in June 2011.

These are turkeys who think they’ve escaped the Thanksgiving knife because they now hear Christmas music being played.

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Video: “The Ghost Train” at Ghosts in 60 Seconds Festival, U.K.

Here’s a third video I’ve just become aware of. This is “The Ghost Train,” being performed at the Ghosts in 60 Seconds Festival in Halifax, U.K. in October 2010.

This is an offshoot of the annual Gone in 60 Seconds Festival, which is held each year in both Halifax, Great Britain and New York.

The script is a monologue by a man killed by a train, which hit him while he was waiting on a legendary “ghost train.”

I do notice this video runs a bit longer than one minute, though . . .

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Video: “The Ghost Lamp” at Ghosts in 60 Seconds Festival, UK

More archival video unearthed! Here’s “The Ghost Lamp” being performed at the Ghosts in 60 Seconds Festival of one-minute plays in Halifax, U.K. in October 2010.

It was previously produced at the festival’s New York version in 2009, but then was reprised in Great Britain as a Halloween piece, of sorts.

You can find the New York video here.

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Video: “The Ghost Lamp” at Gone in 60 Seconds Festival, New York

I’ve just come across some old videos of some of my pieces. Here’s “The Ghost Lamp” at the Gone in 60 Seconds Festival of one-minute plays in New York in June 2009.

This is a piece I wrote as a tribute to live theatre in the wake of Mill Mountain Theatre closing in Roanoke, Va.

Fortunately, Mill Mountain has since re-opened, but another favorite theatre of mine, Studio Roanoke, has closed.

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“Klaus” to have staged reading December 16 in Roanoke

I was thrilled earlier this year when Studio Roanoke announced it was going to produce my show about the origin of Santa Claus as its Christmas show.

Then, I was heartbroken when the black-box theatre in Roanoke closed, leaving “Klaus” (and other plays by fellow playwrights) out in the cold.

Now, I’m thrilled once again to announce that “Klaus” has a new home — as a staged reading as part of the new Discovery Staged Reading Series that the Hollins Playwright’s Lab is starting.

The first reading in the series was Sept. 16; Todd Ristau will be announcing the schedule for the rest of the readings shortly — but I can go ahead and confirm that “Klaus” will be the December offering.

Specifically, Sunday, December 16 at Community High School in the June M. McBroom Theatre (which is a fantastic space in its own right.)

But wait, it gets better. Cheryl Snodgrass is coming in from Chicago to direct the reading. I’ve known Cheryl for a long time, but have never had a chance to work with her. Others in theatre world, though, know her as someone who has directed a lot of other new works, including some by Jeff Goode. Most recently, she directed Jeff’s “The Emancipation of Alabaster McGill” and Samantha Macher’s “The New Girl” at Studio Roanoke.

The full cast isn’t put together yet, but I can further report that Brian O’Sullivan — who most recently directed my show “57 Hours in the House of Culture” at Studio Roanoke — will have the role of Klaus.

Other actors confirmed so far are Martha Boswell, Will Coleman, Drew Dowdy and Blair Peyton — all prominent names in the Roanoke Valley theatre community. More to come.

“Klaus” is a dark comedy that attempts to explain where the Jolly Old Elf actually came from. All I’ll say here is the story begins in the 1700s and involves science fiction, treason against the king, a love story, and some cooking.

Cast: Seven – six male, one female.

Hope to see you there.

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“The Fruitcake” to be produced in Nebraska in November

My most-produced work in a Christmas one-act, “The Fruitcake.”

I recently got word from the publisher (Brooklyn Publishers) that it will be produced at Cedar Rapids Public School in Cedar Rapids, Nebraska on November 19, 2012.

That will be the 34th production of the script — and I have yet to see a single one!

This is the second full production I have scheduled this fall (that I know about). The other is “Macbeth Goes Hollywood,” at a school in Steger, Illinois. (I say “that I know about” because sometimes I don’t hear from publishers until after a show has gone up.)

Here’s a synopsis of “The Fruitcake” and a complete list of the productions:


An extended and quite dysfunction family gathers for a Christmas season tradition — Aunt Hazel’s historically inedible fruitcake. But before she can bring it out, some of the relatives steal the thing and make a bet on whether they can destroy it. Chaos ensues. Characters include a goth-punk teen, a science nerd, a tough-talking ex-Peace Corps worker, a nearsighted aunt, and so forth. Cast: Nine — 2 male, 4 female, 3 non-gender.

√ Hoover Middle School, Indiatlantic, Fla. 2006.
√ Deer Mount Judea, Deer, Arizona, 2006-2007.
√ Parker School, Parker, South Dakota, 2006-2007.
√ Hysham Public Schools, Hysham, Montana, 2006-2007.
√ Reno High School, Reno, Nevada, Feb. 27, 2007.
√ Leonardtown High School, Leonardtown, Maryland, March 1-3, 2007.
√ Sahuaro High School, Tucson, Arizona, April 17, 2007.
√ Admiral Thomas H. Moorer Middle School, Efaula, Alabama, 2007-2008.
√ Pickett County High School, Byrdstown, Tenn., 2007-2008.
√ Clearwater Public School, Clearwater, Nebraska, 2007-2008.
√ Garrison High School, Garrison, North Dakota, 2007-2008.
√ Westside Middle School, Omaha, Nebraska, Dec. 13, 2007.
√ St. Joseph High School, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, April 29, 2008.
√ Cedar Park Christian School, Everett, Washington, June 12, 2008.
√ Salem Academy, Winston-Salem, N.C., Dec. 3, 2008.
√ “Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming, Dec. 4, 2008.
√ New Berlin High School, New Berlin, Illinois, Oct. 9, 2009.
√ Captain Shreve High School, Shreveport, Louisiana, Nov. 19, 2009.
√ St. Clair County High School, Odenville, Alabama, Dec. 3, 2009.
√ Ogemaw Heights High School, West Branch, Michigan, Dec. 21, 2009.
√ Lincoln-Way North High School, Frankfort, Ill., March 20, 2010
√ Metter High School, Metter, Georgia, Dec. 2, 2010.
√ Immaculate Heart High School, Tucson, Arizona, Dec. 15, 2010.
√Wahkiakum High School, Cathlamet, Washington, Dec. 29, 2010.
√ Whitehouse High School, Whitehouse, Texas, Dec. 30, 2010.
√ Scotlandville Magnet High School, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dec. 21, 2010.
√ Chambers Public School, Chambers, Nebraska, Dec. 18, 2010.
√ Dogwood Senior Drama, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Nov. 27, 2011.
√ Churchland High School, Portsmouth, Va., Dec. 1, 2011.
√ MN Players, MN Players, Havertown, Pa., Dec. 2, 2011.
√ McEwen High School, McEwen, Tenn., Dec. 19, 2011.
√ ABO School, Onida, South Dakota, January 2012.
* Scheduled to be produced by Cedar Rapids Public School, Cedar Rapids, Nebraska, Nov. 19, 2012.

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“The Kissing Consultant” produced in South Africa

I often don’t find out about productions of my published plays until long after the fact (when royalty statements come). So what I’m about to report is up to a year old, but still true and fun:

* My one-act “The Kissing Consultant” got produced at a school in Johannesburg, South Africa! Specifically, Athlone Girls High School (not to be confused with Athlone Boys High School, I’ve learned.) So I can add a new country to my list. I’ve now had productions in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, The Philippines, Australia, Turkey and now South Africa.

In addition:
* My one-act “The Weird Sisters on Holiday” had its premiere at a high school in Kansas — Anderson County High School, on January, 14,  2011.

* And add on 3 more productions of “Santa Claustrophobia” and 5 more of “The Fruitcake,” both Christmas one-acts. Some of those in Canada!

“The Kissing Consultant,” “The Weird Sisters on Holiday” and “The Fruitcake” are all published by Brooklyn Publishers. “Santa Claustrophobia” is published by Big Dog Plays.

Alas, I’ve never had a chance to see any of these produced.

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Video: “The Uniform” at Gone in 60 Seconds Festival, New York

I had two pieces about baseball performed at the Gone in 60 Seconds Festival of one-minute plays in New York City in June 2012.

Here’s “The Uniform.”

The other one was “Sunset in North Dakota.”

You can find still photos from both productions in this previous post.

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