New 1-minute Dramatic Monologue about Love and Grief: 20 Magical Minutes

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My new monologue, 20 Magical Minutes, features a raccoon, but don’t let the animal fur make you think this is a light-hearted children’s monologue. This monologue, from the play, 20 MAGICAL MINUTES OF DARKNESS AND SILENCE AND PEACE, is about grieving, love, acceptance, and honoring someone. One producer shared with me his reaction over reading the play for the first time, sitting next to his co-producer. He emailed me this verbatim dialogue from the coffee shop where they were reading through 1000 or so scripts:

Producer 1: Are you okay?
Producer 2: (through tears) I'm crying over this play about raccoons.
Producer 1: Oh my lord.

Well, folks, sometimes a racoon is not just a raccoon!

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Plays for Shark Week!

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Yes, it’s Shark Week, everyone! That means we’re going to celebrate those often-feared (tiger sharks are not very choosy with their prey!), sometimes cute (those adorable baby hammerheads??) creatures of the sea! And of course, why not pair your documentary-watching, shark-drink sipping experience with some theater, right?

Here are two shark-friendly theater pieces for you to enjoy this Shark Week (or really, any week of the year!), I am a Shark (a monologue) and The Shipwreck Solution (a one-act play).

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Mabel and the Talking Cat: A new one-act quirky comedy/drama

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“If I had opposable thumbs like you, I should rule the land!” ~Patches, the Talking Cat

How far are we willing to go to get the things that we want? How can doing a good thing enable a bad thing? How much would you sacrifice for a loved one? How long do you hold onto a far-fetched hope? How do you connect with those in the dark once you’ve been brought into a new light? Does guilt ever go away?

For a one-act play, Mabel and the Talking Cat sure brings up a lot of questions! On top of all that, we have a bit of magic, a witch in the neighborhood, an ogre, a missing husband and a talking cat! And you won’t find out until the end of the play which well-known fairy tale this play launches into…

Mabel and the Talking Cat is the story of a lonely baker, Mabel, who finally has the opportunity to adopt a child of her own. But her best friend, Patches, a talking cat, has grave hesitations about the questionable method she’s using to secure this precious child…

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"The Prettiest Duckling" - To Be Published by YouthPLAYS

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Happy to share that YouthPLAYS will be publishing my one-act play, The Prettiest Duckling. In this dark comedy, two “mean-girl style” ducklings plot the ousting of their gray-feathered sibling… But they’re always—only—always, thinking of her. Because they, you know, “love her so so much.”

Right?

This play was first performed as part of the production, When Fairy Tales Falter. Buchanan Highhouse and Jessica Caputo fabulously brought to life Gorgeous and Cutesy (yes, those are the names of the ducklings! What do you think Mama will name the gray-feathered duckling?), Nate Flower directed, and Georgia Evans did the costume design.

This play was a TON of fun to write. It went through lots of revisions and tweaks to really land it all (thank you, Kevin Christopher Snipes, Gabe Davis, Mike, Dylan, Luke, Nate, and team!). Can’t wait to see it take life beyond my local world soon. Stay tuned for more information when it’s published. But for now, I’l leave you with these empathetic words from Gorgeous:

“Being gorgeous is also, like, kind of a burden…I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

Photos by JCP Images

New Comedic Monologue for Unicorn-Lovers: CloudLily The Unicorn & Zoey

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Did someone say UNICORN??

magical forest with a unicorn horn and ears in bottom left. In blue and pink font, Title Cloudlily The Unicorn And Zoey. Subtitle in brown, A monologue by Tara Meddaugh

Okay, so there just are not enough monologues out there for unicorns! Right?? But here’s your chance to finally play one (I know you have always wanted to). Check out my comedic monologue, CloudLily The Unicorn & Zoey, which runs about 30 seconds to 1 minute long. In it, CloudLily, a unicorn, is talking to her loyal fan, 4-year-old, Zoey. Zoey has been visiting CloudLily in the magical forest and giving her super awesome gifts. You know the kind of gifts some 4-year-olds give you, right? Like…weeds…and clumps of dirt? So CloudLily is grateful. I mean, how could she not be? Zoey is an adorable child who is the definition of “pure of heart.” But…CloudLily also knows humans have access to some pretty cool things besides just, well, dirt. Check out what CloudLily asks Zoey for in the short funny monologue for any age actor (child, tween, teen, or adult!).

Also, gotta give some props to the inspiration for this monologue. One of my followers on Facebook messaged me he got a “Top Fan Badge” for my page. I gave him some virtual props and said, “you win!” He wisely asked me what he won. And I said, “hmmm…you or your kids can give me a topic and I’ll see if I can write a little monologue about it.” He told me his daughter loves rainbow unicorns. Well. Here’s your monologue, Zoey! Hope you enjoy!

Enjoy a little excerpt (and silly floating animated unicorn head video, as well!)!

CLOUDLILY  

(to 4-year-old Zoey)

Zoey. I love the dandelions and clovers and…clumps of dirt you keep bringing me every day. They’re all really cool and special and I know it’s super fun watching my magical unicorn horn turn them into rainbow colors and make them dance and stuff like that. But I hear—CLICK HERE FOR MORE

My silly floating-head-unicorn amateur animation of “CloudLily The Unicorn & Zoey.”

New 30-Second Monologue About Trust from Pitfalls and Treasures

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My play, Pitfalls and Treasures, is a dark comedy/drama about two loner seagulls finding each other, and forming a kind of reliance, trust, friendship. Each has been ostracized from their former flock, but their response to the pain of being pushed out is very different. Andrew remains open, friendly, trusting, hoping for the best. Mary is more jaded and skeptical (“one bitten, twice shy” kinda situation). But now Andrew has twine wrapped around his foot and no one has stopped to help him except Mary. As the two search a littered parking lot for objects that might be used to cut off the twine from his leg, Mary points out dangerous litter (like chewing gum) which might appear treasures to Andrew if he is not careful. Andrew’s gratitude for Mary’s help is immense and he marvels at how he has even survived without her. In this monologue, Mary warns him not to be too trusting of her—or anyone for that matter, as she gets lost in thoughts from her own experience.

This is a 30-second contemporary monologue for a female actor, from late teens to any age adult. You can enjoy a short excerpt below, get the free monologue here, or the entire play here.

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1-Minute Monologues

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One-minute monologues are an important way to make a quick impression to agents, casting directors, schools/colleges/universities. While longer monologues definitely have their place, sometimes actors are required to stick with showing their chops in less than 60 seconds. One-minute monologues also fairly easy to memorize because, well, obviously, they’re short, and they work well for younger actors who may not be ready for a 2-minute monologue or longer. One-minute monologues are also great to perform in festivals, competitions or classes, and an accessible way for actors to hone their craft privately or with a coach.

Having only 1 minute to showcase yourself as an actor can be a bit daunting though, so I’ve started a new page of my 1-minute monologues to make things a little bit easier for actors. These monologues have story and character arc, even if short, and they help actors showcase versatility and evoke emotion from their audience. There are dramatic 1-minute monologues, comedic 1-minute monologues, 1-minute monologues for women, men, any gender, teens and children. From candy-inspired monologues for kids to mean girl monologues for teens to hopeful love or scorned love—these 35 monologues allow actors to dig into complexities and give a memorable performance, in one minute.

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The Moon River Raft: New Dark Comedy Play for 2 actors

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A wounded rabbit and her loyal sister, fleeing for their lives, hold onto hope that a secret Moon River Raft will carry them to a perfect land with no predators, filled with rainbows and radish tops as far as the eye can see… All they have to do is wait for this mysterious raft…in the middle of the night…in the woods…until Peak Full Moon…at a very creepy river bank…

You can check out what happens at this creepy river in my new one-act (miiiight slide by as a 10-minute) dark comedy, The Moon River Raft. It runs about 15+ minutes and has two great roles for ages teen through adult (the parts are written with female pronouns but the casting can be any gender). Yes, it’s dark, but it’s also funny as you lean into the cruelty, naivety and absurdity of the world these rabbits are in. It’s a play with minimal setting requirements and could adapt well to outdoor theater. CLICK BELOW TO READ MORE

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Pitfalls and Treasures: Published in The Best Ten-Minute Plays 2022

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Before we ring in 2023, I’m happy to share that Smith & Kraus’s anthology, The Best Ten-Minute Plays 2022, edited by Debbie Lamedman, is out and available! I’m so honored that my 2-person play, Pitfalls and Treasures, has been published in this fabulous anthology. In the play:

Mary and Andrew are lonely and troubled parking lot seagulls, each ostracized by their former flocks. When Mary happens upon the injured Andrew, she embarks on the desperate challenge to remove twine wrapped around his leg. This play is about, well, yes, seagulls. And being seagulls, in a parking lot, with a numb leg and no flock, the stakes are high. But it’s also about love and loss, hope and failure, trust and apprehension, desperation and resignation. And of course, a seagull and a french fry! It’s a bit dark, a bit funny and a bit sweet.

Along with Pitfalls and Treasures, this anthology includes 50 other great new plays. While all of the plays included are diverse in theme, topic, style, and genre, in her foreword, Ms. Lamedman points out their commonality; they are all, “timely, cutting-edge, thrilling pieces of theatre.”

Ten-minute plays are unique pieces of theater. The “short stories” of theater, they give us a window into a few meaningful moments in time, and it’s a delightful challenge as a playwright to make sure the audience is brought in to the world, the characters and the story pretty darn quickly. I love writing in this format, and, short as it may be, I fall in love with my characters, as they become much larger than 10 minutes. I hope may feel a similar way as you dive into a 10-minute theatrical short!

Gregory Perry Photography, WCT 2021 production featuring Rob McEvily and Missy Flower, directed by Mel Nocera.

The original production of Pitfalls and Treasures was especially sweet as I had a fantastic team of people bringing the play to life: Under Mel Nocera’s keen direction, Missy Flower and Rob McEvily made the seagulls Mary and Andrew charming, funny, sharp and heart wrenching. Much gratitude also to WCT and their Executive Director, Alan Lutwin, for producing the play and their dedication to new work. And of course huge thanks and recognition to editor Debbie Lamedman for her amazing work on this anthology!

Click here to get The Best Ten-Minute Plays 2022 on amazon. Additionally, you can read an excerpt of Pitfalls and Treasures here or click below for a complete digital copy of the play:

Pitfalls and Treasures, a 10-minute play
$5.99
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A Play for International Raccoon Appreciation Day

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20 MAGICAL MINUTES OF DARKNESS & SILENCE & PEACE, featuring Brian Bagot and Brenda Hettmansberger. Directed by Susan Ward at WCT. Gregory Perry Photography

October 1 was International Raccoon Appreciation Day! I only just discovered this today, but even though we are two days past the official date, we can all still celebrate these pretty amazing and adorable creatures. Raccoons are not simply partying around that pile of trash they dumped out of your curbside can. They’re important for many reasons. They distribute seeds from berries and nuts. They help keep our land clean by taking care of (aka eating) dead animals which would otherwise attract disease and insects. They also eat insects (including ticks) and rodents.

I love that the idea of this Appreciation Day is not only to celebrate raccoons, but all creatures who are commonly misunderstood as “pests,” but who play vital roles in our ecosystem. Isn’t this an important message that can apply to many facets of human living too? Many of us feel misunderstood at times, but we all have value and place in our world. I also personally love that raccoons exemplify “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” (In fact, in my play, Pitfalls and Treasures, two seagulls refer to trash cans as “treasure cans.”). What is “trash” after all?

20 MAGICAL MINUTES OF DARKNESS & SILENCE & PEACE, featuring Brian Bagot and Brenda Hettmansberger. Directed by Susan Ward at WCT. Gregory Perry Photography

In honor of International Raccoon Appreciation Day, enjoy my short play, 20 Magical Minutes of Darkness & Silence & Peace. The play features 2 raccoons, Grace and Joffrey. Yes, there is talk of pizza in a dumpster, but the play transcends exclusive “raccoon issues,” and is mainly about personal connections. After a tragedy, Joffrey has run off from the gaze. Grace is charged to find him and bring him back home. But when she discovers him at a train station parking lot, he refuses to come back with her. Yet. He is reeling in grief, and in order to find solace and closure, he has to do something first. At this train station. And he needs her help.

Check out an excerpt here, or get the full play below.

20 MAGICAL MINUTES OF DARKNESS & SILENCE & PEACE
$5.99
Add To Cart


JACK AND DEAR RAVEN: A new 10-minute 2-person comedy/drama

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Jack is known as being a “dull boy” around the village. But would a “dull boy” impulsively climb up a random giant beanstalk that grew up in his back yard over night and then once he reached cloud-level, suddenly miss his mom and turkey and fence post, want to go back home, and now be too scared or stuck to climb back down?

Um…Maybe…

At least, this is one of Jack’s worries (besides being pecked to death, falling to death, starving to death—stuff like that!). He has something to prove to his village. He IS more than the boy who chased a baby bear thinking it was a sack of gold coins. He may get into more pickles than the average fairy tale boy, but he also always finds ways to get out of those pickles. He’s made it up this giant beanstalk because he has the spirit of adventure inside of him—and that passionate spirit will ultimately get him off this beanstalk too. It’s just might happen in the order he thinks it will…

In Jack and Dear Raven, high in the clouds, Jack begs for the help of a raven passing by—the only creature who has shown Jack any attention as he’s clung to this slippery beanstalk through the wee morning hours. This bird, whom Jack quickly dubs “Dear Raven,” has their own worries in raising a brood of birdlings while trying to finish their novel, Aviary Ethics (which no other bird seems to care about). Dear Raven is not only curious about this human in the sky, but also irritated as Jack and his giant beanstalk are blocking an important flight path. Jack and Dear Raven need to figure out a way for Jack to get off this beanstalk. Now. Before the hawks and eagles come to peck out his eyes after their morning mice.

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Monologue from When Marshmallows Burn to be published in Smith & Kraus's "The Best Men's Stage Monologues”

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I’m honored that a monologue from my dark-comedy play, WHEN MARSHMALLOWS BURN, has been selected to be published by Smith & Kraus in the anthology, “The Best Men's Stage Monologues 2022” (editor Debbie Lamedman).

In the play, When Marshmallows Burn, Sammy and his mom are enjoying roasting marshmallows by the fire, under the full moon, when something very strange starts to happen. Sammy’s arms look a little furry. His teeth look a lot like fangs. And he has a sudden urge to kill squirrels—and eat them raw. What (or who) else will he have an urge to kill? Is there anything his mother can do to stop him, or can she ultimately accept and love him? This is a dark comedy about a boy becoming a werewolf, but it’s also a story about acceptance and love, in the face of changing identities.

The monologue selected for the anthology (What My Fangs are For) takes place the moment Sammy has returned from his first kill in the woods. He is proud he found his late-night snack without troubling his mom for help. As he relays killing the squirrel to her, he realizes his mother is becoming increasingly scared of him and his pride turns to fear that she will no longer love him as a werewolf.

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Pitfalls and Treasures to be published in Smith & Kraus's "The Best Ten-Minute Plays"

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I’m honored that my dark comedy play, PITFALLS AND TREASURES, has been selected to be published by Smith & Kraus in the anthology, “The Best Ten-Minute Plays 2022” (editor Debbie Lamedman).

In the 2-person play, Mary and Andrew are lonely and troubled parking lot seagulls, each ostracized by their former flocks. When Mary happens upon the injured Andrew, she embarks on the desperate challenge to remove twine wrapped around his leg. This play is about, well, yes, seagulls. And being seagulls, in a parking lot, with a numb leg and no flock, the stakes are high. But it’s also about love and loss, hope and failure, trust and apprehension, desperation and resignation. And of course, a seagull and a french fry! It’s a bit dark, a bit funny and a bit sweet.

Huge thanks to the super talented original team: actors Missy Flower and Rob McEvily, director Mel Nocera, and all those at Westchester Collaborative Theater for its first production.

The play will be published in the anthology toward the end of the year, but you can read an excerpt of Pitfalls and Treasures here or click below for a complete digital copy of the play.

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New Comedic 5-minute Christmas play for 1-3 actors: Why That Walking Snowman Didn't Like Me

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Who doesn’t love some good ole fashioned Christmas magic in their theater and film, right? Check out what happens in my new 5-minute monologue for a female actor (with the option of adding 2 additional gender-inclusive silent roles), Why That Walking Snowman Didn’t Like Me.

When Madison goes for a walk with her dog on Christmas Eve, she could never have imagined a snowman she passes by would come to life in front of her very eyes! I mean, talk about Christmas Magic, right? This is super cool. Her IG fans are going to die when they see this… But… Why does it seem the snowman doesn’t want to pose with her? Coming to life is strange. Sure. But not wanting to hang out with Madison is even stranger. Find out how this IG model and her adorbs rescue, Bailey, make sense of all of this, in Why That Walking Snowman Didn’t Like Me.

This is a really fun piece to perform! Lots of humor and action; it’s light and funny but also can generate thoughtful conversation about social media. Why That Walking Snowman Didn’t Like Me is a comedic monologue for a female teen through young adult actor. So if you’re looking for a solo performance piece for this holiday season, this makes a great fit. It runs around 4-5 minutes (always depending on performance).

This short play stands alone as a monologue, but if you’re looking to cast more roles, it also easily affords the option of 1-2 additional roles:

Bailey: A non-speaking, but puppy murmuring, wise reindeer-sweater-wearing dog. Any gender/inclusive casting
Snowman: The chill, nonspeaking, disinterested-in-social-media snowman itself. Any gender/inclusive casting.

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Over 15 Great Plays for Outdoor Theater

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Outdoor theater has always evoked a unique energy to its cast and audience, and throughout the covid-19 pandemic, more people have been taking advantage of staging and enjoying theater outside. The abundance of fresh air and space coupled with the natural environment can be appealing and invigorating. So if you’re looking to stage theater outside, consider these 10-minute and one-act comedies, dramas, and dark comedies for adults, teens and children. From a garden to a campfire, a beanstalk to a forest, a zoo to a parking lot, all of these plays are naturally set outdoors. You don’t need to force a kitchen sink into your local park. The world of these play is already outside. Enjoy!

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Pitfalls and Treasures: A new 10-minute comedy/drama for 2 actors

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Does the screech of a seagull symbolize Summer for anyone else here? What is a beach day without a seagull trying to snatch your french fry, right? Well, if you’re looking for a seagull perspective - and if you’re looking for a 2-person dark comedy/drama/comedy that can work for outdoor theater - check out my new 10-minute play, Pitfalls and Treasures. In it, Mary and Andrew are lonely and troubled seagulls, each ostracized by their former flocks. When Mary embarks on the desperate challenge of removing twine wrapped around Andrew’s leg, they both must decide how much to trust each other in the hope of finding a better life. Check out an excerpt or the complete play here.

This play is about, well, yes, seagulls. And being seagulls, in a parking lot, with a numb leg and no flock, the stakes are high. But it’s also about love and loss, hope and failure, trust and apprehension, desperation and resignation. And yes--also a seagull and a fry. It’s a bit dark, a bit funny and a bit sweet.

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Celebrate National Frog month with some Frog Theater!

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Did you know April is National Frog Month in the US? World Frog Day is March 20, but if you missed applauding our amphibian friends that day, rest assured you still have this month to celebrate this awesome creature! Frogs play a vital part in our ecosystem, not to mention they’ve been instrumental in scientific advancements in many fields. They make up about 90% of all amphibians (there are over 6000 species of frogs!), they have adapted to do some really neat things (like survive basically frozen for months in the Arctic or carry around tadpoles in their vocal sacs!), and they are super cute and unique!

So what better way of paying tribute to our beloved frogs than by exploring some frog theater? (Okay, there are lots of other ways to pay tribute to these important cuties. Sadly, “at least 2,000 species [are] estimated to be in danger of extinction," so let’s be kind to them and their environment too. Here are ways to make your yard more habitable for frogs and additional things you can do for frogs.)

Yes, I can happily say I have a whopping (should I say “hopping?” harhar) three (3) theatrical pieces about frogs! A 10-minute dark comedy, a 5-minute children’s play, and a quirky dark comedy/dramatic monologue.

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