‘10-Minute Comedies’ @ Rover Dramawerks
—Jan Farrington
Rover Dramawerks’ annual cluster of 10-Minute Comedies (this one is the seventh run since 2015, minus the pandemic years, of course) is pure fun for theater peeps. We’re all of us story lovers at heart—and what’s more fun than having a brand-new story whiz by us every 10 minutes or so: the setup, the characters, the onstage vibe, the actors popping up in different roles, the comic twist or laugh at the end?
And this year’s picks—by playwrights from eight states and Canada (oh, Canada)—seem especially good at hitting our hearts and funny bones. Cheers to Rover artistic director Carol M. Rice and the crew of “readers” who went through the approximately 300 submissions—and to the writers, the directors, and the local stage talents who brought these nine shows to energetic, funny life.
In Such Dreams As Stuff Is Made On by Dan McGeehan (dir. by Nathan Beeman), Poppy and Tucker (Laura Sosnowski and Trevor Powell) come home from a party to find a broken window and what looks like a burglary. But why isn’t anything missing? Dreams is a short satire on how often we self-define by “stuff”—and are outraged if others don’t wnat and admire it. Chip and Sparky (Evelynn Wright and Douglas Kent) are a glossy younger couple (intentions unclear) who turn up and start skillfully chipping away at the homeowner’s pride. It all leads to an improbable yet “I could see that happening” ending….
Bunions and Regret by F.J. Hartland (dir. by Glynda Welch) sets us down in the alley behind a restaurant, where two waitresses are having an end-of-shift beer. Veronica Green and Lydia Sims are touching and real as older Doris and younger Lacey, who is off to college tomorrow. Doris, who has a natural dry humor, notes than Lacey’s heading for Penn State, while she’s off to the “state pen” to visit her troubled daughter. Doris’ once dreamed of being a movie director (she has a great storytelling eye and ear). These days, she’s excited about a chance to put her tired feet up. Lacey’s knows college is a lucky break for her—but pushes Doris to change her life too . Doris’ verdict on that advice…well, let’s just say it ends the play with a guffaw of laughter from the audience.
Tag by Mark Harvey Levine (dir. by Zeke Fayble) reinforces the universal truth that our school days never, ever end. I can’t say much without spoiling the fun, but Erin, Laurel, and Andy (Kathryn Forbes, Rashae Boyd, and Trevor Powell) play an insanely complicated and funny game of real-life tag. How long can you be “It”? Opinions vary…but it could go on for a while.
In What is Due by Deirdre Girard (dir. by Jon-Paul McGowan), little ol’ lady Suzanne (Camilla Norder) confers sweetly with visitor Lee (Brian Sullivan), who’s impatient to have her sign some loan documents and pay “what is due” right away. Suzanne is a widow, and says she had no idea her late husband had put her future in jeopardy—but she’s polite, and starts rolling out her packed suitcases, ready for the trip to the homeless shelter. Lee is flustered, but he hasn’t seen anything yet. Things move quickly—and we learn just who’s the fox, and who’s the chicken, in this quick-as-a-wink comedy.
In Clinton Festa’s Bibbidi Bobbidi Boot Camp (dir. by Sara Parisa), human LuAnn (Laura Sosnowski) turns up, knitting and all, at a training camp for Fairy Godmothers…only to find humans aren’t allowed. Gruff Sarge (Luke Wallace) lays down the law about that, and keeps drilling winged, wand-carrying fairies Buttercrunch and Eyelash Whisper (cavorting Evelynn Wright and Nic Hamill). Enter activist Violet, spouting words that any Peter Pan fan would know not to say. It’s a crisis, and all LuAnn has to wave are her knitting needles. The whole cast is a hoot—but you’ll have to buy a ticket to find out what happens!
In Mister Literal by Keith Whalen (dir. by Heather Roberts), Cindy (Evelynn Wright) goes on an increasingly annoying blind date with Gerald (Nic Hamill), who reacts with shock and concern to every “slang” phrase that comes out of her mouth: he wouldn’t dream of “pushing her buttons,” and as for “getting her goat”—no thanks. A watching hostess (Rashae Boyd) in the restaurant urges Cindy to bail…and at a certain moment, we discover there’s more than one story happening onstage.
Local actor/playwright Sinan Beskok’s Love Thy Neighbor (dir. by Nolan Spinks) is a wacky mix-up of babysitter movie and Steven King story. Lori and Jason (Marissa Mayfield and Brian Sullivan) are neighbors who’ve agreed to watch young Mona (Lydia Sims) for their friend Mrs. Klepper (Laura Sosnowski). Mona suffers from various “conditions”—and has just lost her last baby tooth—so it’s a busy evening, making sure the girl takes her meds and that Lori and Jason remember about the Tooth Fairy. But the TF is the least of their duties; staying alive might be the priority. In short order, there’s tuneless singing and shrieking, pills dropping on the floor, and a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Is this funny/creepy (or maybe I mean creepy/funny) little girl for real, or just pretending?
Stay Golden by Jessica Moss (dir. by Russell Sims) is a “special episode” of a sitcom looking remarkably like The Golden Girls. Long-married couple Gordon and Cleo (Budd Mahan and Nancy Pistilli) get along fine—but Cleo’s trio of widowed girlfriends Rosalie, Diane, and Patricia (played by JoAnn Dodson, Sue Goodner, and Glynda Welch) want her to move into a group condo with them, living their “golden” lives together. Their husbands have all departed; why, they wonder, can’t Gordon do the polite thing? The whole crew manage to be sit-com zany and fairly real at the same time—a good trick. How can everyone’s happy ending be achieved? You’ll never guess….
Scott Mullen’s Cones of Shame (dir. by Matt Stepan) is a haha/grrr comedy for every wife who’s wondered why she had to inherit her husband’s BFF as a marital package deal. Husbands Mike and Doug (Brian Sullivan and Nic Hamill) are each wearing “cones” like the ones we put on post-surgical dogs and cats. There’s a bet involved (who will take off the cone first?). There’s always a bet, the sillier the better. Their wives Janine and Carol (Kathryn Forbes and Veronica Green) roll their eyes and make wisecracks. But when a piece of real estate comes into the plot, the cones may be on, but the gloves come off. “I’m gonna take off my earrings!” shouts Carol. Oh, my….
WHEN: June 5-21, 2025
WHERE: Cox Playhouse, 1517 H Avenue, Plano TX
WEB: roverdramawerks.com
