A Playwright's Top Christmas Movies You Might Not Have Heard of

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Everyone can probably give you their favorite Christmas movies, and I definitely love a lot of the classics, like Miracle on 34th Street (with Elizabeth Perkins), Rudolf, Elf, A Christmas Carol (Muppet version of course), It's a Wonderful Life, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, The Santa Clause, Love Actually. But there are some that don't get as much attention, and maybe deserve some exploration.  So here are three of this playwright's top films that you might not have heard of, but are worth a watch....

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Video Games and Theater--Happily Co-Existing: Interview with video game company founder, Matt Udvari

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The first time I met the very talented Matt Udvari, he was sitting in my graduate level Playwriting Class at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).  But Matt wasn't a Playwriting student; he was a graduate student in the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at CMU. So what was he doing in this very selective MFA program course (which consisted of a whopping 4 playwrights for my year, and 2 screenwriters)?  Well...

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New Christmas Play for young actors (filled with monologues!)

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Check out my most recent e-newsletter, announcing a new one-act Christmas-themed comedy for young actors, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen.  You can also learn about my monologue contest (you could win a monologue written for you!).  And find out what my Halloween costume was this year...hint...I wasn't Princess Leia, but...

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The Elephant in Every Room: New Work Opens tonight

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There is a plethora of new work being produced in New York City, and you'll run into some pretty bad shows, but it's wonderful when you find a true gem in the midst.  While I have not yet seen this show (it opens tonight), I have a good feeling that this is one of those precious stones among the pebbles. Why? Well, for one...

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The National YoungArts Foundation: Resouce for teens

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If you're an artist between the ages of 15-18 (10-12 grade), you can considering applying to the National YoungArts Foundation. Applications are accepted in a variety of fields, including cinematic arts, classical music, and writing (to name a few) and you can find the application here (be aware, unfortunately, there is a $35 application fee, but you can get it waived).  So what is the National YoungArts Foundation? Well, in their own words...

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Interview with TV writer, playwright and songwriter, Matt Schatz

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Okay, so Matt Schatz is a super talented writer. And I can use that term "writer" in a general way, because he's nailed down so many different facets of the craft. He's not translating a new version of the Iliad just yet, but other than that, he's covered a lot of bases. So what does he do? Well...

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Julie Andrews: Singer, Actress and...Rose Enthusiast?

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Who does not have a special place in their hearts for a Julie Andrews movie?  If you don't know Mary Poppins or the Sound of Music, you must, and I mean, must, watch these movies, if for no other reason than to be able to experience a truly large movie of its day (but there are really enough other reasons to check it out). Her career didn't stop there though...

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An Ode to Radio Drama

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We all have exposure to actors on the big and small screen, and many of us have the joy to experience drama from stage actors in theatre. But while we do know some of the voices behind animated characters, we don't as often think of the good ole fashioned radio actors anymore. This is no surprise since radio drama has mostly been usurped by television and film.  And believe me, I love a good movie (just saw The Double, which I raved about in a previous post), but there is something quite unique about radio drama.  And I personally have a very soft spot for it.

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Netflix guesses I will give The Double 4.9 stars. It's pretty darn close...

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There are certain movies that just stand out to you. Certain ones that speak to you, excite you, energize you. Maybe they feel relevant to something you're going through at the time, maybe they remind you of something you love, maybe they keep you on your toes and your adrenaline goes through the roof, maybe they just make you laugh really hard. But we all have those 5-star-netflix worthy movies...

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New Christmas-themed comedic children's monologue: Shepherd Superheroes

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If you’re looking for a comedic Christmas monologue, great for kids (or adults who want to have fun playing a kid!), check out my monologue, SHEPHERD SUPERHEROES. In the monologue, Sam explains to the Christmas pageant director why having his shepherd’s costume muddy right before the performance is actually a good thing.

The monologue runs around 1 minute and while it is written for a male actor, the monologue is fine for any gender. Shepherd Superheroes comes from the one-act Christmas play, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen. Enjoy!

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Captivating performance of my monologue, "I am a Shark"

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Check out this performance of my monologue, "I am a Shark." Antonio De Matteo clearly knows how to captivate an audience with his tone and his eyes. I found myself mesmerized just watching him.

Share your thoughts! Have you performed this monologue with a different interpretation?  How powerful do you find it when an actor looks directly into the camera? Looks away from the camera? What are ways you can be effective using only your face and voice?

New Children's/Teen Monologue, "Ipad Fury"

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How would you like to perform a monologue that's brand-spankin'-new to the public?  Well, children and teenagers, here's one for you!  As always, contact me for request of use. Enjoy!

IPAD FURY By Tara Meddaugh © 2015

JUSTIN, a boy, 7-15 years old, is sitting in the driver’s side of his mom’s Toyota Sienna minivan. The keys are in the ignition, the doors are locked. The window is open about 1 inch. Justin’s mom is standing next to the driver’s side of the car, locked out.

____________________

JUSTIN

Just because I’m not a teenager yet doesn’t mean I can’t drive a car. You think I won’t do it?

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