BEHOLD A PALE BRONCO
This is a red-letter day for Buddy! O.J. Simpson is taking
his famous slo-mo ride down the San Diego freeway and Buddy
finally feels vindicated for having the wisdom to live next
to the 405. Monica puts a damper on his enthusiasm by not
appearing to care that "He" will pass by their apartment
building in mere minutes. Doesn't Monica understand they
could be on CNN? She could care less. It's her birthday
and she's competing with the Family Entertainment Unit that
dominates the room for Buddy's attention. Their neighbor,
Billy, has a deeper problem. Should he go out on the
balcony and watch the chase or see it on the Family
Entertainment Unit? What will win, TV or real life?
CHARACTERS: 1 Woman, 2 Men.
AWARDS:
Finalist, Love Creek Productions Contest
Runner-Up, American Association of Community Theatre Regional Competition
PRODUCTIONS:
Actors Repertory Theatre, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
PV Players, Torrance, CA
Published by Players Press*
back to list available from Amazon.com
BEDSIDE COMPANION
Charlie is in desperate need of a story. He is in the
final stages of AIDS-related illnesses and believes if
people keep telling him stories, he'll stay alive. The
Night Nurse won't help him. She's too exhausted. Rose,
his devoted friend doesn't understand his need. Only Jo-Jo,
Charlie's on-again-off-again pal brings him the tale he
needs. She encourages him to go on a Hawaiian cruise with
her and clashes with Rose's desire to keep him in bed. The
two women spar over Charlie, both claiming to know what's
best for him. The ultimate victor is what serves love
best.
CHARACTERS: 3 Women, 1 Man.
PRODUCTIONS:
Theatre 40 One Act Festival, Beverly Hills, CA
PV Players, Torrance, CA
Published by Players Press*
back to list available from Amazon.com
WOMEN WITH CASSEROLES
Laura and Emily, former high school homecoming princesses
have come to pay their last respects to Janie, their fallen
queen, who ruled over them long after school let out. In
their best Martha Stewart manner, they bring casseroles as
offerings to Janie's husband, competing to see who will
succeed her. Diane strides in with an offering of her own
-- the truth about Janie's bizarre "household accident" and
other surprises.
CHARACTERS: 3 Women.
PRODUCTIONS:
Athena's Players, Boston University
West Coast Ensemble, Hollywood, California
The Source Theatre, Washington, D.C.
PV Players, Torrance, CA
Published by Players Press*
back to list available from Amazon.com
THEY'S WEYWULVES
Wedding bells chime sour notes for Rhonda as family
matriarch LaWanda welcomes outsider Courtney into their
special clan. Rhonda is unamused that her cousin Lonnie up
and married that
citified Courtney when he should have been hers by right.
LaWanda reminds Rhonda she lost her right to Lonnie when
she chose to 'run with the boys', something a female clan
member simply doesn't do. To LaWanda's surprise, Courtney
convinces Rhonda to teach her how to run and hunt, ensuring
the survival of the clan and bringing new meaning to the
term 'family values.'
CHARACTERS: 3 Women.
PRODUCTIONS:
Newnan Community Theatre, Newnan, GA
The Werewolf Project, Los Angeles Theater Center
PV Players, Torrance, CA
Published by Players Press*
back to list available from Amazon.com
WACS IN KHAKI
In this World War II/Korean War spoof, Lt. Loretta, Veronica and Dotty are three Army nurses headed into dangerous “Commie-Nazi” territory to save our fighting boys and defend the American way. They take us on a comedic journey from ship to raft to jungle to the heavens above without missing a punch line. The nurses are sexy, silly and serious and their tongue-in-cheek style emphasizes the code of the 1940's which sent women home after they helped win the war. Armed with catch phrases and an arsenal of cliches this clever comedy manages to bring down a considerable number of patriotic posturings and quaintly antiquated female attitudes.
CHARACTERS: 3 Women.
PRODUCTIONS:
Company Theater, Los Angeles
Los Angeles Actors Theater (Festival of World Premieres)
Published by Players Press*
back to list available from Amazon.com
THIS ISN'T EXACTLY HOW I EXPECTED IT
Recently deceased, Oscar Robinson finds himself in a most unusual waiting room. His fate "for eternity" is to be decided. He isn't worried. He's always led an exemplary life but he'd always thought "in terms of angels with big wings and harps and that sort of thing." Thus begins a series of encounters with the others in the room. One after another, the visitors trap Oscar in his web of self deceit, denying his self-proclaimed virtue and driving him from the room in hysteria.
CHARACTERS: 4 Women, 3 Men.
AWARDS:
1st Place, DRAMATICS MAGAZINE Playwriting Contest
back to list available from Pioneer Drama Service
THE OLD MAN AND THE SEED
A garden at sunset. An elderly couple. Legume, a bitter and brittle man, rants about the injustice of the world, about how he prayed for a miracle, just a little one. He even asked his wife Aubergine to pray for a miracle; how much of an imposition could it be? Did he not get his miracle? Worse. He got the wrong miracle. He is so wrapped up in his bitterness and anger that he cannot even acknowledge the gift he's been given. His wife admits that she did pray for a miracle, and she got the miracle she prayed for.
CHARACTERS: One Man, One Woman.
AWARDS:
1st Prize, Hewlett-Packard 10-Minute Play Contest, Action Theatre, Singapore
PRODUCTIONS:
PV Players, Torrance, CA
Action Theatre, Singapore
Published by Players Press*
back to list available from Amazon.com
PAPERBACK BOOKS
Two lonely people seek roles for themselves in the pages of tacky paperback self-help books. Their fumbling attempts to live up to the packaged expectations of the books and the uncaring world that drove them to read them finally end in tragedy, only to leave the survivor realizing the book does not tell all...
CHARACTERS: One Man, One Woman.
PRODUCTIONS:
Hyperion Theater, Los Angeles
Published by Players Press*
back to list available from Amazon.com
THE MIRACULOUS DAY QUARTET
Four distinct characters have something in common: he or she was late that fateful day, resulting in the miracle of surviving. In their own way, each expressed relief, guilt, anger and resolve for the future. Two steered their lives into new directions. One remained basically unchanged, angry at the prospect of being known as “That woman who missed the plane.” The last character seemed doomed to wander the earth forever, with no place to rest.
CHARACTERS: 2 Men, 2 Women, 1 Either.
PRODUCTIONS:
Celebration of International Women’s Day, Dramatists Guild, NYC
The Second Annual Chester Horn Short Play Festival, Medicine Show Theatre, NYC
Gene Frankel Theatre, NYC
Laurelgrove Theatre, Hollywood, CA
PV Players, Torrance, CA
THE 'M' WORD
What if the famous superstition of the stage is
true? By uttering the name of William
Shakespeare’s “Scottish Play”, three of the world’s
greatest actors find themselves condemned to
perform this work as the classic threesome of
buffoonery, The Three Stooges.
CHARACTERS: 3 Men.
PRODUCTIONS: Lakeshore Players 10-Minute Play Festival, White Bear Lake, MN.
TRUE BLUE
Two soldiers stand guard over a white tape line in a “place of peace” while all around them a war rages on. In the course of their tenure together, the two have become friends, and it is through that friendship that Steelsmith makes one of her points – stick two enemies in a room together for long enough with guns pointed at each other, and some common ground is sure to be met. But true human nature prevails in an interesting plot twist that makes complete, and profoundly sad, sense.
CHARACTERS: 2 Men (plus Voice).
PRODUCTIONS:
Single Carrot Theatre Company, Baltimore, MD
"Fritz Blitz", Fritz Theatre, San Diego, CA
* Players Press
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