America: The Play! The Play About America
Photo courtesy of John Pankratz.
From 1776 to today one thing has eluded Americans—who are we? What, in short, makes someone an American? A shared history? A commitment to American ideals? A belief in the American Dream (if we can even agree on what that means anymore)? As we seemingly grow more divided, our national identity is more fluid than ever. Enter the students of Iowa's L.E.E. High School. When their drama club gets shut down for doing controversial plays, the students take it upon themselves to answer the question: “What does it mean to be an American—now, then, and in-between?”
Read it on the New Play Exchange!
Marybeth Mary Roth
Photo courtesy of John Pankratz.
An all girls Catholic high school. A scholarship to the most exclusive college in the world. And cookie sales to determine the winner. Success and self-worth are such fragile things. The comedy that's always been inside Glengarry Glen Ross.
Read it on the New Play Exchange!
Patriotic, Iowa
The mayor of the small town of Patriotic, Iowa has just died, leaving the fate of the town’s biggest employer in the air. Can a recently fired teacher turned diner waitress win the mayoral run-off and save the town? Can Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Eleanor Roosevelt save the day? A comedy about what it takes to run for office, and what it means to be an American.
A Year in the Life of Twenty-Five Strangers Living in a City by the Lake
Featuring a scene for every month, A Year in the Life... examines relationships and life with sharp wit and chilling accuracy. See if you can connect the dots between The Sound Of Music and low sperm counts, St. Patrick's Day and ducks, or gay marriage and meteorology. Full of heart & humor, this original work from Chicago playwright Matthew Fotis is sure to entertain.
"Fotis has a knack for lively dialogue." - Backstage
"Fotis' knack for capturing a brief moment or conflict in time does shine...a fine and funny exhibit...a smart look at Chicago life...This New York premiere has heart." - The Stage is the Place
"The clever script, good acting and some particularly excellent moments of comic timing make A Year in the Life worth the price of admission." - Nuvo
"Evidently life's complex - and wry - up there by that lake." - Cincinnati CityBeat
"I have to admit I'm developing a bit of an artist crush on Matt Fotis...Highly recommended." - Matthew Everett, FringeFestival.org
"Fotis should be commended for trying to lure his generation with what they are looking for, while sprinkling some deeper material into the mix in order to take them beyond the box." - OffOffOnline.com
"If you wish to spend your weekend with some fascinating people doing fascinating things, take a look at A Year in the Life." - David Rigano
"Fotis has a knack for lively dialogue." - Backstage
"Fotis' knack for capturing a brief moment or conflict in time does shine...a fine and funny exhibit...a smart look at Chicago life...This New York premiere has heart." - The Stage is the Place
"The clever script, good acting and some particularly excellent moments of comic timing make A Year in the Life worth the price of admission." - Nuvo
"Evidently life's complex - and wry - up there by that lake." - Cincinnati CityBeat
"I have to admit I'm developing a bit of an artist crush on Matt Fotis...Highly recommended." - Matthew Everett, FringeFestival.org
"Fotis should be commended for trying to lure his generation with what they are looking for, while sprinkling some deeper material into the mix in order to take them beyond the box." - OffOffOnline.com
"If you wish to spend your weekend with some fascinating people doing fascinating things, take a look at A Year in the Life." - David Rigano
The Van Gogh Exhibit
The Van Gogh Exhibit is "less about Van Gogh's paintings than what happens when his swirls are set in motion...The narrative itself takes the passenger seat as the idiosyncratic characters direct traffic...trying to work out where the shapes of marriage, sexuality, bus routes, politics and memories fit into one masterpiece." - Mpls News
"Fotis' wit is evident." - TimeOut Chicago
"Laced with biting humor and a lingering sadness." - Windy City Times
"What an ear for dialogue! Highly quotable piece, smart, philosophical...Relationships are tenuous, vibrant things. The Van Gogh Exhibit explores twelve of them with insight and wit." - mnartists.org
"Fotis' wit is evident." - TimeOut Chicago
"Laced with biting humor and a lingering sadness." - Windy City Times
"What an ear for dialogue! Highly quotable piece, smart, philosophical...Relationships are tenuous, vibrant things. The Van Gogh Exhibit explores twelve of them with insight and wit." - mnartists.org
The Book of Adam
A public relations executive is on the brink of losing his job, family and beloved crab apple tree. As luck would have it though, his father just might be God, and Adam might have a higher calling. A story about faith, creation and public relations.
Winner of The Mark Twain Prize for Comic Playwriting!
The Adventures of Menorah Man & Dreidel Boy: A Play About Christmas
Santa is in trouble. The North Pole is on its third mortgage and the sleigh is about to be repossessed. If he can’t raise the money to pay off his debts Christmas will be over - Forever! With the help of the most awkward high school student who has ever lived and a motley crew of Christmas outcasts Santa sets out to save the holidays - Forever!
The Girl in the Cube
Amanda feels trapped. She hates her office job, isn’t thrilled about her boyfriend, and lives in boring Fargo, North Dakota. Suddenly tossed into an alternative reality, she bounces through time, searching for the missing pieces of herself that will set her free. Will you follow the shepherd?
Pittsfield
In the small town of Pittsfield, Illinois, where cell phones are useless and the neighbors have been neighbors for generations one family is about to come face to face with their past (and their future). When Helen invites her grown children home to put their beloved and incredibly long-lived dog to sleep, a reunion forces the family to make some life altering choices and come to terms with their history.
The Marriage of Marcus Tyler
When the Tyler’s eldest son brings his fiancé home to meet the family, the Tyler’s put her through their own unique test to see if she really is “the one.”
"I love [Fotis'] clever use of language, and his quirky humor, and the fact that he is not afraid to be irreverent. I also love that even with all of his explorations of the dark side of Midwestern life (whatever that means) there is always a glimmer of hope, of love, of optimism." - Indy Theatre Habit
"One of the funniest things I've seen in awhile." - East of Indy
"We probably didn’t stop laughing until the end of the show." - Indianapolis Woman
"I love [Fotis'] clever use of language, and his quirky humor, and the fact that he is not afraid to be irreverent. I also love that even with all of his explorations of the dark side of Midwestern life (whatever that means) there is always a glimmer of hope, of love, of optimism." - Indy Theatre Habit
"One of the funniest things I've seen in awhile." - East of Indy
"We probably didn’t stop laughing until the end of the show." - Indianapolis Woman
Lincoln's Lagoon
According to local legend (and of course without any actual evidence) Abraham Lincoln spent one night in the small town of Lincolnville, Kentucky. But the town soon has bigger problems when the school principal shows up dead in the park. The locals think they have it figured out but do they have the wrong man? The cops just want a conviction. Can a blind Kentucky orphan crack the case and save the day?
