What I'm Watching and Why: Forever - Season 1 - from Amazon Studios

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The story of breaking away from the dissatisfaction of mundane life in the suburbs is nothing novel. It’s a fairly common theme because once your life settles into its trajectory, and the basic “what happens next” questions have been answered, there can be a lull of excitement. This is why we have the age-old midlife crisis, after all. New cars, affairs, jumping out of planes—people look for thrills when life might be less thrilling. We still have the afterlife, with all its glory and excitement, to look forward to though, right? But what happens when the afterlife is no more exciting than your current living life? What happens when you join the afterlife only to find there is no one to even address the “meaning of life” questions? What happens when you escape all of this earth-living to only find that in the afterlife, you still have to cook chicken, mow your lawn, and drawers get stuck. But there is no death in sight this time. This is forever. (And this is… “Forever.”)

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Grinching Mom: New Children's comedic monologue by guest playwright, 6-year-old, Luke B.

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If you don’t know what grinching is yet, perhaps this monologue by guest playwright, 6-year-old, Luke B., will shed some insight. In it, Max is caught red-handed taking his mom’s lamp into his room. He has a perfectly good reason for doing this, but it may not be what you think… Check out this 1-minute comedic children’s monologue, Grinching Mom. And keep reading if you want to find out a bit more about the 6-year-old boy who wrote it…

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December 2018 Newsletter: Christmas monologues and plays, How to Write a Cheesy Christmas Rom-Com and performance of Shepherd Superheroes

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December 2018 Newsletter

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Check out my December newsletter.

Amazon boxes on the porch, peppermint star cookies in my stomach, Elf playing on tv while I clean up from the Holiday Murder Mystery party I threw over the weekend--this is a slice of the middle of December for me. You?

However you celebrate the holidays, it's always fun to pack in a bit of theater (I loved the one-man show of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, told in an historic Dutch church from the 1600s!). So check out some of my festive pieces below--a new monologue, a "how to" on writing your own cheesy Christmas rom-com, and more.

Enjoy the season and Happy Creating!

Warmly,
Tara

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Nostalia and the Season: My Top Three Christmas Movies You Might Not Have Heard Of

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Nostalgia rings loud and clear this time of year—scents, songs, books, movies. My mother passed away two years ago, and my childhood (and adulthood) memories with her practically explode this time of year. Our main December holiday in my family is Christmas, and my mother made this holiday so special for us. From parties to games to crafts, cookies, books, music, cards, service, prayers and more! All those singing stuffed animals in our hallway? Gifts to my kids from my mom. The burlap Advent Calendar hanging on our wall? My mom made it. The ornaments on our tree with permanent marker dates on the bottom? My mom dated of all of those. While nostalia comes in many forms, one thing that harkens me back to the magic of childhood Christmas is simply: Christmas movies. Those classic tales of…

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Christmas Plays: talking reindeer, mistletoe melancholy, Christmas tree blood and more!

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Check out my Christmas theater below (one-act plays, a 5-minute monologues, and monologues for kids to adults)! Click on the links to read excerpts from all of the holiday monologues or holiday plays or to get the full versions. Enjoy the holiday season!

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Black Friday Deal on Tara Meddaugh plays: 20% off all purchases!

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Whoohoo! Yes, even my plays are on sale for Black Friday - as my thank you to YOU—my loyal patrons, fellow artists, actors, directors, writers, friends, teachers, designers, students…I’m grateful for all of you! So enjoy 20% off your purchase now through November 25! Just use coupon code BLACKFRIDAYPLAYS at the checkout. Happy shopping and Happy Creating!

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Now Available - 5 Minute Children's Play: My Best Myself

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If you’re looking for a short play for children, check out this fun and poignant 5-minute comedic play for 2 female actors. While Megan and Kel are waiting for their school bus to arrive, Megan challenges Kel to prove how she received her latest Girl Scouts badge. But revelations soon afford the girls an opportunity to put down their rivalry and consider maybe, just maybe, becoming friends…

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New Christmas Holiday Comedic Monologue for male (or female) actor: Still Standing Under the Mistletoe

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If you’re looking for a monologue for a male actor desperately trying to cling to an old romance, hopefully anxious, nervously excited (so much fun to act!), then check out my new monologue, Still Standing Under the Mistletoe. Larry is at a Christmas party and speaks to his ex-girlfriend Mindy. She is standing under the mistletoe and he nervously confesses he still has feelings for her. He hopes that she still has feelings for him too, and that if she notices she is standing under the mistletoe, she will not move away from it…

This is a comedic monologue for a male actor (teen through adult) and is approximately 1.5-2 minutes along,

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19 Children's Monologues from Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen: Monologue Packet

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Enjoy a new monologue packet, featuring 19 comedic monologues for children extracted from the one-act play, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen. Monologues range from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, and average approximately 1-2 minutes long. Check out two free sample monologues from this packet, Santa’s Lousy Job and Shepherd Superheroes. About the play: Take a snowy walk through the child-like magic of Christmas, where reindeer talk, Santa is real, and who wants super powers?…

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How to Write a Cheesy Romantic Christmas Movie in 10 Easy Steps (Or, Writing for the Hallmark Channel)

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Well, Thanksgiving is not quite here, but we’re already into November, so…you know what that means? Tis the season for Cheesy Romantic Christmas movies! On November 2, the first new one of the season popped up on my Netflix account, boasting the crazy magical cupid-like hijinx of none other than, that’s right, an advent calendar. It’s not just angels, santas and mystical animals bringing you Holiday romance anymore. It’s now inanimate calendars too! I've been watching these types of movies for years, and have learned, as similar as they may be, it never hurts to add another 25-50 new Hallmark-Channel inspired Christmas movies to the season (I say Hallmark Channel, for those old enough to know that term, but it’s not just the Hallmark anymore. The digital services have the format down pat.)! So here I've given you 10 easy steps on how to write your own Cheesy Romantic Christmas movie. And who knows, if you follow these guidelines, maybe your screenplay will be produced in the next Amazon prime line-up of Holiday-themed romances! Write away!

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17 Creepy Monologues for Halloween

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If you’re looking for some eerie or dark monologues in the spirit of Halloween, check out these creepy monologues!

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Great Plays for Halloween

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If you’re looking for an eerie, creepy or thriller play in the spirit of Halloween, check out these plays that just might give you a chill or two! From the witch in that gingerbread house, to a mysterious heart, a domineering bingo chip, a lust for human hair—and more—enjoy these uniquely dark (and sometimes comedic) plays by Tara Meddaugh…

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Dramatic/Thriller monologue: Shelley Knows

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If you’re searching for a dramatic/thriller (in time for Halloween!) 1-minute monologue for a female (or could be male) actor, check out Shelley Knows. In this monologue, Louise, riddled with guilt after murdering Shelley in a fit of passion, fears this friend may be coming for her, from beyond the grave…

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New dark comedy/thriller monologue: F For Friendship

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If you’re searching for a dark comedy/thriller monologue that is only 1 minute long, for teens to young adults, check out this monologue, F is For Friendship. In it, Michelle, holding a gun in her hand, rates the friendship of fellow mean-girl, Alicia. And Alicia is not scoring well…

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New dramatic/thriller monologue: Buddy's Mommy

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If you’re searching for a dark, dramatic or thriller monologue for a female (in time for Halloween!), check out Buddy’s Mommy. In this 2-minute monologue, amidst the sounds of sirens drawing near, Cali imparts her final motherly words to her young son, Buddy. She hopes he will remember her for the strong love she has for him, not for the murder(s) he’s going to soon hear about…

This a great monologue for someone looking to tap into complex emotions and the process of a breakdown. Cali is riddled with grief, guilt, regret—but also love and her confidence that what she did was necessary and the right thing to do. There is horror, there is desperation, there is panic, and at the core, there is the deep, crazy, consuming love of a mother to her child.

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New dark comedy/dramatic monologue: Rachel's monologue from Seventeen Stitches

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Check out this newly released dark comedy/dramatic monologue for a teen/young adult, from the one-act play, Seventeen Stitches. Rachel and Peter are standing in a kind of vortex-like line, Rachel recounts Peter, how she first met him. It all started at the teeter-totter…

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New dark comedy/thriller monologue: Remove the Rock, Please

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Keeping in line with my month of Halloween/eerie drama, here is a newly released monologue of mine, Remove the Rock, Please. What happens when a reasonable request made by a good upstanding citizen is repeatedly ignored by the town mayor? A Banana Republic dress gets blood on it, apparently. Check out the dark comedy/thriller/dramatic monologue below, for a female actor.

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