The Big Match and other one act plays gives a brief glimpse of the magic of theatre, ideally meant to present a slice of life, whether comedy or tragedy. This collection has different subjects, different styles, some of them funny, some that might be disturbing. Anyone who loves theatre will find pleasure here. I was fortunate to direct some of these plays with fine actors, so any faults in the productions were the director's. As in all my plays that I directed, the playwright let the director run the show, following an adage: However it reads on the page, it has to work on the stage.
This collection offers a diversity from comic social realism to issues of our times with tragic overtones. Different forms and subject matter will appeal to theater lovers and college educated readers of all ages, who will find entertainment, amusement, serious responses to some of the problems of our times presented dramatically, such as in:
'Funeral Strains', a one-act play, that takes place at the funeral of a gay man, who when disowned by his father, joined the Marines and was killed in combat in Afghanistan. A radical, anti-gay church hate group tries to disrupt the funeral and embarrasses the father. Bikers move the haters further away and his family persuades him to attend the service and be reconciled with his son's persuasion.
Clown Show' a play about the struggle of two clowns to bring joy, who fear in the age of Trump they may no longer be wanted.
'Occupy Wall Street', a short, one act play about an idealistic minority youth who wants to change the system, despite his mothers fear for his safety.
'Culture Clash', a one act play about a casual pick-up attempt that leads to a bias confrontation that becomes violent. Culture Clash had a stage reading at Sidewalks Theater in New York City.
'Feast or Famine', which was performed at the Double Image Theater Festival, the New York Theater Festival and Sidewalks Theater is about a couple is going through difficult ups and downs in their relationship. Things come to a head when his job search efforts come to naught and he tries to conceal his failure.
'Caged' was produced at Sidewalks Theater. A visitor to the zoo gets into an ethical struggle with the zookeeper, who tempts him into a cage and may let in a tiger.
In 'I Like Eyck', a gullible art collector might be taken in by a greedy art dealer, in a scheme to duplicate old master paintings in a particle accelerator.
'Date Rape' is a play about a young woman who is drugged and victimized at a frat party and has to find the strength to deal with the consequences.
Many of these plays were produced Off-Off Broadway, at theater festivals and other venues. Some of them have been published in literary magazines.