When reality upends imagination, improvise.
Last Sunday, that’s what happened at the 13th annual 10-Minute Play Festival at the Durango Arts Center. In a tightly woven, one-hour time frame, five short plays unspooled in one of the more interesting iterations since the festival began in 2010. Stage Manager K.C. Caimi-Reece filled short interludes with romantic music as the crew assembled minimal sets and props during blackouts.
As in years past, modern American relationships, from speed dating to marital fallouts, seemed to dominate. That narrow focus may represent a preoccupation by submitting playwrights or selection committee preferences. It’s hard to tell. At least this year, one dark satire slipped through plus a surreal spin on horror movies. One outlier gave voice to inanimate objects.
“Snacks,” by Keven Broccoli (Rhode Island), featured four voiced munchies competing for vending-machine attention in a hospital setting. Director Holden Grace did his best to enliven an essentially static situation and rather ragged costuming. His actors escalated the old American trope of competition nicely and at the end, made a specious turn toward compassion. Credit director and actors for this strange work winning the People’s Choice Award.
“Speed Dating,” by Richard S. Stoughton (Massachusetts) revisited this much-mined terrain by focusing on two recently widowed people. Director Wendy Ludgewait had Jesse (a laconic Ben Reece) and Sara (an inquisitive K.C. Caimi-Reece) stand instead of sit, but it was another fundamentally static situation. Incredible, disarming lies suggested an ink-black satire on grief. Then a sudden shift jolted satire into sugar-laden sentimentality. Was that necessary?
“Sorry …,” by Barbara Anderson (California) found a long-married couple processing a breakup. Paul (a compelling Philip Brown) and Janet (a marvelously skeptical and sardonic Maureen May) unpacked the most tightly written play of the festival in a series of reveals. Director Monica DiBiasio kept her combatants seated throughout, but excellent writing and subtle acting gave Anderson’s play energy and point.
“The Art of Ketchup and Dandelions,” by Shawn Henry Davidson (North Carolina) examined another common trope – the impending proposal. Director Wendy G. Hassemer underscored an overly-written script with a lot of stage business. Ronald (an anxious and fussy Gordon Thomas) nervously plans a proposal to his longtime friend Jeannette (a breezy Linda Mack Berven). Aided by Gus, a friendly waiter (a knowing Ben Reece), Ron tries out several approaches including writing poetry with two awkward Haiku that explain the title. Finally, Ron plops the engagement ring into a ketchup bottle for a surprise unveiling. Of course, that, too, goes awry but leads to a predictable conclusion. The actors did their best with a weak script and ketchup that wouldn’t give up the ring. Improvisation took over until Mack Berven put a curly fry on her finger and the actors froze for the anticipated happy ending.
“SHHH!” by Kristin Hanratty (Michigan) won the 2023 grand prize, although one suspects the performance and not the script influenced the award. Director Jason Lythgoe energized his acting trio, McKenzie James, Jake Yount and Kieran Peck, to deliver an odd script peppered with horror movie references and intentional silences. A scary visitor and argumentative romantics collide in a wilderness cabin. The odd trio bash into each other in a mashup of conflicting ideas. The performance was marvelous, the script a curiosity.
Here’s looking forward to next year with the unlikely possibility of plays about climate change or the aftermath of Election 2024, or maybe even a work by one of our many local playwrights.
Judith Reynolds is an arts journalist and member of the American Theatre Critics Association.
