Theatrical Shenanigans

Hello there and welcome to our 6th episode of this 7th season of Theatrical Shenanigans where we have a new shiny play and a fabulous guest to discuss it with.

Our play today comes from Philip Middleton Williams (https://newplayexchange.org/users/2009/philip-middleton-williams & https://www.pmwplaywright.com/) a fabulous playwright with over 70 plays to his name! His play “Can’t Live Without You” was his first play to receive an off-Broadway production in 2008. Since then his work has been seen in the Midwest Dramatists Conference, the William Inge Theatre Festival, Miami One-Acts Festival, Bartell Theatre, Theatre Roulette, Short+Sweet Festivals, Valdez Theatre Conference, LAB Theater Project, Fresh Fruit Festival, and Trinity Theatre Company. His plays are published by Next Stage Press and Smith & Kraus. He is a lifetime member of the Dramatists Guild.

Philip’s play is entitled “Any Second Now” (https://newplayexchange.org/script/2025380/any-second-now).

Synopsis:

Four characters are in the waiting room at Characters Equity, waiting for their next assignment.

Cast:

Clark – Bernie Horton (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm17164043/)

Karen – Dana Hall (https://www.danahallcreates.com/) 

Fred – Darrin Ingram (https://www.darrin-ingram.com/)

Ethel – Ash Albiniak (https://unabashedvo.com/)

Hal – Fred Tacon  (https://www.kyplays.org/ & https://newplayexchange.org/users/28025/fred-tacon)

And joining me to discuss this wonderful play is New Jersy playwright Ryan Kaminksi (https://newplayexchange.org/users/34918/ryan-kaminski) who (in amongst many other achievements) has been a produced playwright on Theatrical Shenanigans three times already:

“The Deal” – https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/s02-e06-episode-6-the-deal-anne-flammang/

“The Sentence” –  https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/theatrical-shenanigans-play-a-day-special-day-20-the-sentence-by-ryan-kaminski/

“Souvenirs” - https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/theatrical-shenanigans-halloween-special/

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Hello there and welcome to the half way point of this 7th season of Theatrical Shenanigans.

Today’s episode brings us a play by Ohio based actor/writer/graphic artist John Busser (https://newplayexchange.org/users/34757/john-busser & https://www.behance.net/johnbusser0391).

John is the co-runner of Cleveland Public Theatre’s writer's workshop, The Dark Room, which helps playwrights test drive new work. He has written over 125 short plays, some of which have been produced throughout the US, Canada, the UK, France, India, and Australia. He is also a familiar name on Theatrical Shenanigans, having had five plays produced before:

“A Conversation about Mom” –  https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/episode-10-a-coversation-about-mom-jonathan-cook/

“You Went There” – https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/one-year-anniversary-special/

“They’re in There” – https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/mini-shenanigans-episode-1-they-re-in-there-by-john-busser/

“Taken to School” - https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/theatrical-shenanigans-fathers-day-special/

"Early One Evening at the Miskatonic University Ladies Auxiliary Book Club"

- https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/mini-shenanigans-episode-3-early-one-evening-at-the-miskatonic-university-ladies-auxiliary-book-club-by-john-busser/

John’s play today is called “Helping Hand” (https://newplayexchange.org/script/3257855/helping-hand).

Synopsis:

A strange visitor came to our world in 1938. Today we found out why.

Cast:

The Colonel – Roger Powers

The Senator – Helen Chengo Mao (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOBWRX6h1_Qm8VQZqPWymVGFIkfruadkU)

The Visitor – Fiona Leishman

And joining me to discuss this play is actor, voice actor, stage manager, director and attorney Angela Sarabia (https://newplayexchange.org/users/83860/angela-sarabia) who has performed in 15 different plays with Theatrical Shenanigans!

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Hello there and welcome to another episode of season 7 of Theatrical Shenanigans as we steer towards our half way point. 

Today's play comes to us from Louisville based playwright Brad White (https://newplayexchange.org/users/83610/brad-white). Brad spent decades as an advertising creative director selling everything from beach vacations to bowling balls. Now he writes plays instead. His short plays have been produced and recognized at festivals and theatres across the USA. He writes comedies, dramas, and the occasional piece that makes audiences laugh one minute and feel slightly uneasy the next. Brad is drawn to stories about ordinary people and the strange, funny, and sometimes messy ways they reveal who they really are.

Brad's play is entitled "The Last Living Quimbly" (https://newplayexchange.org/script/3283461/the-last-living-quimbly) and when asked about his inspiration Brad says:

In a struggling small town desperate for a miracle, eccentric Professor Winslow unveils a shocking discovery—the last living Quimbly, a rare and completely invisible creature that could put their town on the map. As skepticism turns to hysteria, belief becomes unstoppable, leading to bizarre rituals, mass chaos, and one mayor’s desperate attempt to stop the madness before it’s too late. But in a world where perception is reality, does it even matter if the Quimbly is real?

Cast:

Professor Winslow - Kerry Frater (https://www.vshowcards.com/profile/kerryfrater/)

Mayor Carson - Patrick Hibbin (http://www.spotlight.com/profile/3414-5612-5037)

Mrs Finkle - Mareli Maree Mcinerney

Randy - Gareth Bowley (https://www.instagram.com/g_j_bowley/)

Harold - Will Adams

Officer Henderson - Jenny Ackerley

Townspersons - Tanya Rich (www.tanyarich.co.uk)

And joining me to talk about this play as well as his amazing career is actor, voice actor, fire breather, juggler along with a million other titles, is Karim Kronfli (https://www.dramaticvoice.co.uk/home). Among his many other achievements he's appeared in no less that 10 previous episodes of Theatrical Shenanigans, bringing every part to life in an amazing way with every episode still available to hear!

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Hello there and welcome to another episode of our 7th Season of Theatrical Shenanigans!

Today we are bringing you the play “Order Up” by Lynne Herrell. Lynne Herrell is a California based playwright with a flair for sharp dialogue, vivid characters, and laugh-out-loud situations. Her work blends physical comedy with clever wordplay, creating theatrical experiences that are both accessible and memorable for diverse audiences. Drawing on her background in storytelling and performance as a community theatre actor and director, Lynne delights in crafting plays that are simple to produce yet rich with humour, making them ideal for everything from intimate staged readings to fully realized productions.

When asked about her inspiration for “Order Up!” Lynne said: “I began developing Order Up! because I love putting wacky characters into ordinary places and watching the comedy unfold.”

Synopsis:

Chef once cooked for the rich and famous in New York City but now (after an incident) has been reduced to cooking burgers in a fast-food café, in England. But, one thing he’s never done is given up on his dreams and maybe today is the day that will pay off.

Cast:

Chef – Roger Powers (https://newplayexchange.org/users/85483/roger-powers)

Axel – Martin Whiskin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-whiskin-voiceover/ & https://www.martinwhiskin.co.uk/)

Manager – Susie New (https://www.bodalgo.com/en/voice-over-talents/susie-new)

Critic – Maura Stephens

And joining me to discuss this fabulously funny play is Lisa Quoresimo (https://newplayexchange.org/users/19629/lisa-quoresimo & https://quoresimo.com/index.html) whose relationship with Theatrical Shenanigans goes right back to Season 2 when her play "Cloudy with a Chance of Contempt" made up the first episode (https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/s02-e01-episode-1-cloudy-with-a-chance-of-contempt-john-busser/)

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Hello there and welcome to our 2nd instalment of this 7th season of Theatrical Shenanigans. 

Today we bring you a play by James Rayfield (https://newplayexchange.org/users/6659/james-rayfield).

James Rayfield has been a theatre educator, director, playwright, and occasional actor in the Tampa Bay area for many years. He taught for ten years at Blake High School for the Arts and currently teaches Adult Acting at American Stage. He has published several plays for the high school theatre including “Ten Actors in Search of a Cell Phone” which has had over 100 productions, including a production in Dutch in Amsterdam. His plays and monologues have also been produced at Manhattan Class Company, Studio@620, Radio Theatre Project, Stage Works, New Stage Theatre, and Expanded Arts Theatre. In Los Angeles he studied acting with Viola Spolin.

James's play today is entitled "The Chatterbox Club".

Synopsis:

In a world where people are sometimes hungry for a genuine connection we have the restaurant for you. Welcome to The Chatterbox Club.

Cast:

Announcer - Dana Hall (https://www.danahallcreates.com/) 

Hostess - Kathy Li (http://www.kathyliaudio.com)

Grant - Jeff Priskorn (www.jeffpriskorn.com)

Gail - Angela Sarabia (https://newplayexchange.org/users/83860/angela-sarabia)

Eddie - Roger Powers (https://newplayexchange.org/users/85483/roger-powers)

And here to discuss this play with me is the fabulous playwright, DC Cathro (https://newplayexchange.org/users/750/dc-cathro) who has previously joined us on Theatrical Shenanigans for an episode of The Panel Presents back in October 2023 (https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/the-panel-presents-episode-4-susan-sam-angela-dc/)

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Hello there and welcome to this brand-new series of Theatrical Shenanigans.

Our play for this episode is written by Colorado-based playwright, actor, and journalist, Eden Lane (https://newplayexchange.org/users/100008/eden-lane). Eden’s work has grown out of time spent in both newsrooms and theatres. A regional Edward R. Murrow Award recipient, she is drawn to stories about people at moments of transition, particularly around work, identity, and community. Her play Final Edition reflects her lived experience and her affection for the humour, urgency, and humanity of newsroom life.

Synopsis:

On the final day of print publication at a small-town newspaper, four staff members race to put out one last edition while grappling with legacy, loyalty, and what survives when the presses stop.

Cast:

Claire – Jacquie Floyd (www.jacquiefloyd.com)

Marty – Jeff Priskorn (www.jeffpriskorn.com)

Sam – Sofia Atkin

Dot – Ash Albiniak (https://unabashedvo.com/)

And hear to talk about this fabulous play with me is poet, playwright, lyricist, songwriter, translator, and educator Nora Louise Syran (https://newplayexchange.org/users/34709/nora-louise-syran & https://www.noralouisesyran.com) who has had her work produced twice on Theatrical Shenanigans before:

“No Theatre Critics were harmed in the making of this play” – https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/one-year-anniversary-special/

“Carpe Champagne” - https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/theatrical-shenanigans-play-a-day-special-day-16-carpe-champagne-by-nora-louise-syran/

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Hello there and welcome to this final episode of Mini Shenanigans. I hope you’ve enjoyed this season and if so then please make sure you tell us so on Facebook, Instagram or any of the Podcast Platforms we can be found on.

We’ll be ending this series with a play written by me (https://www.rfwscripts.co.uk/) entitled “I Got Your Number” (https://newplayexchange.org/script/2729625/i-got-your-number) and was created following a Play-A-Day brief to create a play inspired by numbers.

Synopsis:

After almost 65 years of marriage, Mary and Derek have been summoned to The national departments for relationships and coupledom to discuss the future of their relationship.

Cast:

Mary – Gillie Stoneman

Derek – Jeff Tullin (https://twitter.com/Jeff_Tullin)

Shan’Nai – Perdita Lawton (www.perditalawton.com)

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Hello there and welcome to this penultimate episode of Mini Shenanigans I hope you’re still enjoying this season.

For this episode we have the play from Dan McGeehan (https://illustrationonline.com/ & https://newplayexchange.org/users/1902/dan-mcgeehan), an actor, director, playwright, composer, and illustrator. He studied at Philadelphia’s Arden Theatre and has over 150 theatrical productions to his credit. He is the author of a number multi-media ballets, opera librettos, and short plays, including "A Long Trip," which is one of the most performed short scripts in America and is quickly making its way internationally.  When not writing, Dan is providing illustrations for several publications, advertisements, and children’s books around the world.

Dan’s play is entitled “Such Dreams as Stuff is Made On” (https://newplayexchange.org/script/2793005/such-dreams-as-stuff-is-made-on) and when talking about his inspiration Dan says “The play had its genesis one night when, returning home late, my family found a single open window in the living room. This discovery led to a series of wild paranoid speculations as to the reason until one of us remembered they simply forgot to close the window earlier. But those silly speculations stuck with me until, ten years later, I decided to work them into what is now this script.”

Synopsis:

Poppy and Tucker are surprised to find their house was broken into. They are more surprised to find nothing was stolen. They are most surprised when the burglars return— with a message.

Cast:

Poppy – Helen Cheng Mao (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOBWRX6h1_Qm8VQZqPWymVGFIkfruadkU)

Tucker – Aaron LaPacz

Chip – Brian Cern (https://newplayexchange.org/users/34692/brian-cern)

Sparky – Greg Bauhof (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-bauhof-2181767b/)

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Hello there and welcome to our 9th episode of this sixth season of Mini Shenanigans and I hope you’re all well and ready for another short play. Our play today comes to us from Tampa Florida based playwright Tracy Best (https://newplayexchange.org/users/96120/tracy-best). Tracy is a playwright, creative writer, and passionate storyteller who believes in the power of reinvention. Her work explores themes of transformation, self-discovery and of making one's own choices, often through sharp, witty female leads navigating major life shifts. A lifelong traveller and adventurer, Tracy draws inspiration from personal experience, colourful conversations, and the comedy found in everyday chaos.

Tracy’s play is entitled Juliette’s Autopsy (https://newplayexchange.org/script/3244477/juliets-autopsy-a-10-minute-play).

When talking about her inspiration she says “In 9th grade, I was assigned to read Romeo and Juliet twelve times, thanks to a poorly timed school transfer and some enthusiastic English teachers. By round 12, I was frustrated. Juliet was smart, brave and made some incredibly bold moves - she defied her family, proposed marriage to Romeo, made a ridiculously complex plan with the friar, but it wasn't enough. The system in which she lived trapped her in someone else's story, ultimately silencing her. So, for this play, I wanted Juliet to have freedom to say what she wanted, how she wanted, and to craft her own outcome.”

Synopsis:

When Juliet's remains are unearthed in modern-day Verona, an autopsy reveals her death was no suicide. Her ghost returns - furious, funny and ready to set the record straight with Shakespeare himself.

Cast:

News Reporter – Sarah Edwards (https://www.sarahedwardsvoice.co.uk/)

Ghost of Juliet – Perdita Lawton (www.perditalawton.com)

Ghost of Will – Will Adams

Dr Santori – Patrick Hibbin (http://www.spotlight.com/profile/3414-5612-5037)

Jonathan – Josh Anderson-Grey

Ghost of Nurse – Susie New (https://www.bodalgo.com/en/voice-over-talents/susie-new)

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Hello there and welcome to our 8th episode of this 6th Season of Mini Shenanigans. We’re starting to steer towards the end of the series now but don’t worry we still have plenty more great plays to come, starting with this one today.

Our playwright today is New York based Alice Burke who has been writing one act plays for about two years now.  She’s had plays performed in nine states in the United States and if that isn’t enough she’s a transcriptionist by day and a volunteer EMT her our local fire department. 

Alice’s play is entitled “The Elevator” and when talking about her inspiration Alice says “Although I have never saved anyone from a stuck elevator, I have been stuck in a couple myself.   The one that loosely inspired this play was getting stuck in a very crowded elevator for about 40 minutes.  There were a couple people who were starting to get jumpy and anxious so it made me think about what a play would look like with this theme — with a twist of course.”

Synopsis:

Lily, Larry and Fed all find themselves stuck in a small, sweaty and smelly lift with the only questions being, how long before the service voice Stella can get them out and will any of them break before then?

Cast:

Lily - Sarah Edwards (https://www.sarahedwardsvoice.co.uk/)

Larry - Roger Powers

Stella - Nicky Whichelow (www.nickywvoices.com)

Fred - Max Devivo

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