Netflix's "Dead To Me:" On Guilt, Grief, Friendship & Love

November 18, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in Community, dark comedy, dramatic, Drama in real life, Grief, love, Shows, social, Streaming Videos, Television, What I'm Watching, women, women in the arts

I first discovered the Netflix show, Dead To Me, when my dear friend, Jessica, recommended it when it aired in 2019. Jessica and I became best friends when we were 14 and she went from home-schooling on her family farm to attending my small public school (she thrived and never looked back!). We acted in plays together, went on family vacations together, tons of sleepovers, visited each other at college and beyond, made crazy recordings, dated brothers once, spent every moment we could together. And for the next few decades, we shared almost daily phone calls as teens, to regular calls and letters as we made it through young-adulthood, to almost daily calls again, as we shared marriage and motherhood. We talked about anything and everything—relationships, society, philosophy, politics, families—and also cooking, cleaning hacks, books, tv. When I recommended the book Pachinko, she read it. When she recommended a recipe for a homemade ice cream cake, I made it. So when she recommended “Dead to Me,” I watched it. I remember her saying it was not like any other show she’d seen.

“Dead to Me” is a show about mistakes and consequences—and how you deal with both. It’s dark and funny. It’s tense and poignant. It’s a lot about guilt, but it’s also about motherhood and daughterhood. And at its core, it’s about friendship and love.

I’m actually a little shocked when I see that this show aired in May 2019 because Jessica was battling Stage 4 cancer at the time. She passed away 4 months later.

Shocked isn’t the right word.

Anyone who has lost a loved one knows that Grief kind of jumps up in your face and screams at you at any random moment it feels like.

Dramatic and Comedic pieces for Halloween Monologue Competitions

October 18, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 10-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 5-minute monologue, child monolog collection, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic monolog collecti, dramatic, Halloween, monologue collections, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, mystical creatures, Suspense, Teen, teen monologue collection, thriller, tween

If you’re looking for a great monologue to use in a Halloween Monologue Competition, check out the monologues below, beginning with creepy Halloween monologues, followed by comedic Halloween monologues. Monologues range from 1 minute to 10 minutes, children, teen and adult.

A Play for International Raccoon Appreciation Day

October 03, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 10-minute play, animal theater, comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, gender neutral casting, Grief, inclusive casting, outdoor theater, Plays, ten-minute plays

**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?

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

The Bronze Lining: New 2-Person 10-Minute Drama/Comedy

September 22, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, Drama in real life, dramatic, Grief, outdoor theater, Plays, Teen, ten-minute plays, women, virtual theater, Zoom plays

In 2019, I wrote The Bronze Lining, a 10-minute dramedy, with 2 great female roles. It’s about estranged sisters who attempt to reconnect during a hike after their mother’s death. There’s a lot of damage between them, stemming not only from some traditional sibling rivalry, but also from how each one handled the sickness of their mother, the process of dying, and now, the process of grieving. You can read an excerpt of the play here or get the whole play here.

This play was originally inspired by a painting, as part of The Living Art Event, a collaboration between visual artists of the Ossining Arts Council and the performing artists of Westchester Collaborative Theater (WCT). Jill Kiefer's piece, "Such a Bewilderness...", drew me in. I loved the richness, the muddiness, the twists, the brown and white and black, the textures, and that dragonfly escaping the mire into the air. The sisters in The Bronze Lining are also entrapped in their shared history, intertwined in the muddiness of complicated relationships that ebb and flow, damage and repair. Siblings have a connection that is going to bind them forever—although what sisters Mindy and Anne choose to do with that bond in the future, especially now that both of their parents are gone, is uncertain.

The production of this play has had its own complicated history, not without grief. In January 2020, at our first round of auditions, I met the director slated for this festival, Joe Albert Lima. He was smart, good-natured, experienced, and I immediately felt I could trust him with my play. He apologized for being a bit out of breath and coughing occasionally; he used an inhaler and mentioned his asthma had been bothering him. Tragically, less than a week later, he was hospitalized and passed away. While I didn’t know him well or long, I was shocked and pained by this loss, especially for his family and close friends. The theater community also felt this loss as he had a long history as a director in the area and was a founding member of WCT.

Meanwhile, covid-19 was making more and more headlines abroad.

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

September 14, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 10-minute play, allegory, animal theater, children, Children's theatre, comedic, dramatic, fairy tale, family, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, one-act plays, outdoor theater, Plays, pre-teen, Reader's Theater, Teen, ten-minute plays, tween

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.

Summer Monologues

August 01, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, 30-second monologue, 5-minute monologue, absurdist theater, allegory, blind casting, child monolog collection, children, Children's theatre, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic, dramatic monolog collecti, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, mermaids, monologue collections, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, mystical creatures, Teen, teen monologue collection, thriller, tween, summer

If you’re looking to beat (or lean into!) the heat of the season with a summer-themed monologue, check out this list of 17 monologues that go along nicely with Summertime. Whether it’s someone’s connection to growing veggies, a safari vacation that goes amiss (in all the coolest ways), seeing a lame mermaid at the beach, pushing someone in a mud puddle, spooky things that happen in the woods at night, or ice cream your dog can’t have—enjoy these 17 comedic, dramatic, thriller, teen and children’s monologues that are great for Summer!

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

February 15, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, animal theater, allegory, dark comedy, dramatic, monologue for female acto, monologues for male actor, Monologues, mystical creatures, outdoor theater, pre-teen, Suspense, Teen, ten-minute plays, thriller, thriller play, tween, 10-minute play

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.

A Whole Lot of Monologues About Love

February 02, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, 5-minute monologue, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic, dramatic monolog collecti, holiday, love, monologue collections, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, romance, Suspense, Teen, teen monologue collection, valentine's day

Well, we are less than 2 weeks from Valentine’s Day! If you’re looking for a monologue about love for a performance, monologue slam, audition or anything else, check out these pieces. From dark to hopeful, you can find passionate monologues for women and men (and many for any gender), highlighting love in its various dramatic forms.

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

January 04, 2022 by Tara Meddaugh in absurdist theater, animal theater, allegory, blind casting, comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, one-act plays, outdoor theater, Plays, Publications, socially distant theater, Teen, ten-minute plays, theater of the absurd

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.

New 2-Minute Woman's Christmas Monologue - More Than Santa

December 13, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 2-minute monologue, Christmas, comedic, dramatic, holiday, love, monologue for female acto, Monologues, romance, Teen, women

So…you’ve fallen in love with the Mall Santa. I mean, what’s not to love, right? (Well…) But what if you’ve never seen him sans-white beard and velvet coat? Can you be sure you’ve fallen for the real man behind the suit? Will you still be happy to share hot cocoa with him when he doesn’t smell like candy canes?

This is the situation Brandy, and her new Mall-Santa-Boyfriend, Kris, find themselves in. Kris is scared Brandy won’t love him when he doesn’t hold Holiday Celebrity Status anymore. He’s been dumped by women post-Christmas before. In the monologue, More Than Santa, Brandy has to convince Kris that she is not only attracted to his white beard (because, come on—that beard!), but she will keep on being attracted to him when she sees him for the first time tomorrow, December 26, not dressed as Santa.

New Christmas Monologue for Women: Christmas China That Can Only Be Handwashed

December 02, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, Christmas, comedic, dramatic, holiday, love, monologue for female acto, Monologues, romance, women

If you’re a woman looking for a short comedic Christmas monologue, check out Christmas China That Can Only Be Handwashed. In the monologue, it’s Christmas Night. Daphne and her partner, Jamie, have enjoyed a large Christmas dinner with family. Daphne has lovingly spent many hours preparing the meal she knows Jamie will enjoy, on the Christmas China she knows Jamie loves. But now it’s time for Daphne to feel a little love… and it just might take the shape of someone else (ahem: Jamie) hand-washing all those Christmas plates…

This is a comedic monologue which runs around 1.5 minutes, and is appropriate for a female actor in her 20s-50s. Check out below to read and excerpt and to download the free monologue of Christmas China That Can Only Be Handwashed.

October 2021 Newsletter: New one-woman ghostly play, 👀 Halloween monologues and support for an impactful organization!

October 30, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 10-minute monologue, dramatic, giving back, Newsletters, Suspense, ten-minute plays, thriller, thriller play

Check out my October 2021 newsletter here.

Don't Close The Doors: New 10-minute thriller/dramatic monologue

October 06, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 10-minute monologue, dramatic, Grief, Halloween, monologue for female acto, Monologues, Plays, Suspense, Teen, ten-minute plays, thriller, thriller play

If you’re looking for a solo thriller performance piece, consider my new 10-minute monologue play, Don’t Close the Doors. There’s no gore, no blood, yet the ominous atmosphere is consuming. This is a perfect choice for spooky Halloween theater, but is also powerful as a dramatic tragedy any time of year.

We’re familiar with the creepiness a bedroom closet can evoke: What’s inside those closed doors when we’re sleeping in our bed, when we’re practicing the violin, talking to a friend…? Does closing those doors keep out whatever it is that might be lurking from within? But what if that presence in the closet doesn’t want to be there any more than we want it there? What if that presence in the closet is the one being tortured, not us? In Don’t Close the Doors:

Abigail, a ghost in Stephanie’s closet, is sorry she must use her powers to freeze Stephanie in place, but what she must share with Stephanie is so dire that sometimes these things must be done. At first, it appears Abigail’s ominous presence is a threat to Stephanie. However, as Abigail relays the tragedies which have left her paralyzed in Stephanie’s closet, we realize it is Abigail who desperately needs Stephanie’s help to end her heartbreaking torture.

New Thriller Monologue: Where's Your Hand, Chloe?

September 17, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, dramatic, gender neutral casting, Halloween, inclusive casting, monologue for female acto, monologues for male actor, Monologues, outdoor theater, pre-teen, Suspense, Teen, thriller, tween

Let’s be honest - the woods at night can be creepy for even the bravest of us. It’s not quite so bad though if we have someone by our side. But what if that someone suddenly…disappears? And leaves us alone, calling their name, only to find…someone else appear instead?

That is the premise behind my new thriller/dramatic/horror monologue, Where’s Your Hand, Chloe? Addison’s friend, Chloe, disappears on their walk home in the woods (NEVER TAKE THE SHORTCUT THROUGH THE WOODS!). At first, Addison is relieved when she thinks the person in the distance is her friend. But she soon discovers the bloodied soul that is getting closer and closer to Addison is not at all Chloe. Addison’s panic increases as she sees the grotesque Being holds Chloe’s braid wrapped around its shoulder.

As we round the corner toward Halloween and all things spooky, check out my new suspenseful 2-3 minute monologue, Where’s Your Hand, Chloe? This is a great monologue for actors who really want to tap into their horror/frightened/panicking-but-trying-to-stay-calm side. The monologue arrives to you just in time for those awesome Halloween Monologue Slams! Enjoy an excerpt below and check out other suspenseful monologues here or creepy monologues here.

Over 15 Great Plays for Outdoor Theater

August 31, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 5-minute play, absurdist theater, allegory, animal theater, Children's theatre, comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, fairy tale, family, frog, monologue for female acto, mystical creatures, outdoor theater, one-act plays, Reader's Theater, socially distant theater, ten-minute plays, theater of the absurd, thriller, Plays, play collection

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!

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

August 10, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in absurdist theater, allegory, animal theater, comedic, Community, dark comedy, dramatic, one-act plays, outdoor theater, Plays, socially distant theater, Teen, ten-minute plays, theater of the absurd, theatre companies

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.

21 Mom Monologues

May 07, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 3-minute monologue, 5-minute play, absurdist theater, children, Children's theatre, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic monolog collecti, dramatic, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, monologue collections, monologue by child, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, monologue written by chil, Monologues, monologues for male actor, pre-teen, Teen, teen monologue collection, theater of the absurd, tween

As we honor our mothers for this season (and every day!), enjoy over fifteen (15) “mom monologues.” These monologues are either specifically about moms, spoken to moms, or spoken by moms. From a werewolf’s conflicting feelings about his mother to children asking their mom for a pet skunk, from a mother struggling with her own mortality to a woman adopting a child in her 50s, these monologues range from comedic to absurd to dramatic. Enjoy these children, teen and adult monologues all centering around mother relationships!

Celebrate National Frog month with some Frog Theater!

April 24, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 5-minute play, allegory, children, Children's theatre, comedic, 3-minute monologue, dark comedy, dramatic, full-length plays, inclusive casting, Monologues, outdoor theater, Plays, Suspense, Teen, theater of the absurd, thriller, tween, frog, animal theater

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.

Frog Band-Aid: New dark comedy monologue

April 14, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in absurdist theater, comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, monologue for female acto, Monologues, outdoor theater, Suspense, Teen, theater of the absurd, thriller

What do you do when you’re confronted with a jealous force in your life who demands that you abandon your new and precious human connection? And what do you do when this jealous force happens to be…um…a bingo chip?

Yeeeess…

This is part of the story of my full-length dark comedy/absurdist thriller, Free Space. Amelia views hosting her own Bingo Night as a way to escape her lonely life. Not only does she have the excitement of planning this magical night, but planning this night has led to a growing bond between her and Ricky, a kind-hearted boy who works at the local cannery. But as Amelia starts to envision a brighter future, a talking Bingo Chip begins calling the shots. Amelia is losing control of her own Game—and relationship with Ricky.

Frog Band-Aid is a monologue from Free Space. Ricky has just given Amelia a private tour of the cannery he works at. During the tour, the two joyfully plan the event, and discuss visiting a pet store together. After Amelia leaves the cannery, she walks home, speaking to the mysterious Bingo Chip in her pocket which has become increasingly demanding.

This dark comedy/dramatic monologue runs around 3 minutes and is appropriate for an older teen through adult actor. Enjoy the excerpt below and check out Free Space to learn more about Amelia and her story.

"Pebbles and Tails," a new Short children's play

April 02, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 5-minute play, allegory, blind casting, children, Children's theatre, comedic, dramatic, Education, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, outdoor theater, Plays, pre-teen, Reader's Theater, Teen, ten-minute plays, tween

How many of us have ever felt our friends were moving on without us? Or worried that we’d be left out because we were somehow different from those around us? Pebbles and Tails is my new children’s play about frogs growing up, but it’s also a story of acceptance, kindness, bravery and friendship.

Scoot, Wiggles and Crunch have been friends since they hatched from eggs in the pond, hiding from predators together, protecting each other, and playing “Kick Pebble” together. But when Scoot realizes that Wiggles and Crunch have developed into froglets, while Scoot remains a tadpole, Scoot feels left behind. Is their friendship strong enough to endure their changing paths?

Pebbles and Tails is a comedic/dramatic children’s play for 3 actors of any gender. It runs around 5-8 minutes in length. It’s perfect for child actors for performances, workshops or Reader’s Theater in the classroom. It’s great for teen competitions and fun for any age actors to perform for young audiences. It’s also great material for animation projects. And I’m releasing it during National Frog Month in the US!