2017 Marathon of One-Act Plays: Series C NYC Reviews and Tickets

73%

(5 Reviews)

Positive

80%

Mixed

20%

Negative

Members say

Great acting, Entertaining, Great writing, Absorbing, Clever

About the Show

Ensemble Studio Theatre presents Series C of its 36th annual one-act play marathon, featuring 15 plays presented in three separate lineups. See Series A and Series B.

'The Good Muslim' by Zakiyyah Alexander, directed by William Carden: Aliah is a New Yorker and a hard-working college student, but, she's also a Muslim-American in a troubled time. A play about being comfortable in your own skin...or hijab.

'Female Beginner' by Edith Freni. directed by Jessica Holt: On the night of an important fundraising dinner for her father's reelection campaign, 18-year-old "Golden Child" Amelia challenges the content of a speech she's been asked to give in his honor.

'Good Results Are Difficult When Indifference Predominates' by Amy Fox, directed by Morgan Gould: Two cousins grapple with the legacy of their grandmother as they prepare their pussy hats for the Women's March on Washington, D.C.

'Intensive Care' by Donald Marcus, directed by Jamie Richards: Late one night, two strangers from different worlds meet in a deserted Florida cafeteria.

'Santa Doesn't Come to the Holiday Inn' by Elyzabeth Wilder, directed by Julie Kramer: When Annie and Peter get stuck together in a hotel room, they try to keep the magic of Christmas alive for their daughter, despite their failed marriage.

Member Reviews (5)

Disappointing, Entertaining

See it if You want to see 5 plays that have some character studies, but need much more development

Don't see it if You are looking for interesting, well written drama

Critic Reviews (4)

“Zakiyyah Alexander’s piece tackles assimilation, racism and sexism. This would be a lot even for two acts, and at just under 30 minutes the play feels like the précis for a full length work rather than a self-contained effort…None of the four other plays in the series match ‘The Good Muslim’ in ambition, though Donald Marcus’s compact two-hander ‘Intensive Care’ succeeds by making the most out of economy.”
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"Connect too many dots and it just seems as though you’re halfway to an underwhelming full-length treatment. Unfortunately, that is the case with Alexander’s wooden 'The Good Muslim'...'Female Beginner' has a political point to make, but it’s mired in melodrama; 'Santa Doesn’t Come to the Holiday Inn' verges on mawkish...'Intensive Care' serves as a model of emotionally loaded concision...'Good Results Are Difficult When Indifference Predominates' provides a rousing, hilarious end."
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“‘Santa Doesn’t Come to the Holiday Inn’ is a slice of life moment with absolutely no point of view, and no action…There was no energy on stage…‘Intensive Care’ is a perfect little gem of a one-act play. Beautifully written, sensitively directed, with delicious acting by Grenier and Conger. ‘The Good Muslim’ is ambitious and overly complicated…The final one-act of the evening is as forced and unwieldy as its title, ‘Good Results Are Difficult When Indifference Predominates.”
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“‘Series C’ did not disappoint. It’s a masterful playwright who can whisk you away, create an arc, and circle back to a satisfying conclusion all in one act, and each of the playwrights in this series manage to do just that…Scenes complete with detailed props change effortlessly and transform with professional precision. It is obvious that the richness of each production is aided by extremely skilled and talented lighting, scenic, props, technical, costume, and sound people.”
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