Brenda Shoshanna, playwright
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CURRENT PLAYS




SEARCHING FOR THE OX

(Tennesse Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival)


MADNESS FOR TWO
(THE STORY OF A MARRIAGE)


​(Winner Writers Digest Contest for Best Stage Plays)

LOOKING FOR PARCIFAL

​THE CURE
​
THE TEACHER HASN'T COME


KNOCK THE DOOR DOWN

 


                                                     MADNESS FOR TWO

                                            (  THE STORY OF A MARRIAGE)



Madness For Two is a comic exploration of love, lies and the ways in which we live as strangers both to others, and to ourselves. The play takes place at the funeral of Weston Wright, successful business man, athlete and devoted dad of four. As his family gathers to personally conduct the  closed, intimate service he requested, many surprises are in store.
 
Unwittingly, the funeral has been announced on social media and the place is bursting at the seams. All kinds of life long friends and business acquaintances of Weston appear. The shocked family has no idea who these people are. And, we soon see that Weston’s friends have no idea who the family is, either. They had no idea that Weston was ever married or was a dad. As the play proceeds, many startling truths about Weston, his family and relationships come to light.
 
A well known woman from Weston’s business life, flies in from Los Angeles. She’s been working on her eulogy all night and demands the chance to speak. Weston’s wife totally refuses.  A huge fight breaks out as secrets are revealed and the effort to unravel the truth begins.  Who was Weston really, and what was their relationship to him? Along with a struggle for understanding a need for compassion arises as well.
 
The play is an exploration of love, devotion, blindness, fantasy, forgiveness, and the many parts of ourselves that we hide from the light of day.  Many contemporary issues are also addressed, including the role of women, family, and need for honesty in living a life of worth.


                              THE TEACHER HASN'T COME 

​This lively, comic drama takes place in a huge loft in Manhattan which functions as a Spiritual Center dedicated to peace. A group of fanatical students who have given their lives to the Teachings eagerly await the arrival of their Teacher, who is coming from afar. They are making perfect arrangements, where nothing can be out of place. Other students are lined up on the steps outside, waiting to catch just a glimpse of The Teacher, when he appears. Preparations have been going on for weeks.
 
Suddenly, unexpected events begin to take place and the order of the Center is thrown into disarray. Fascinating non-members burst in, with ideas of their own. They refuse to listen to the leaders or stay where they belong. The intruders want to welcome the Teacher in their own way. A struggle ensues and soon after, more shocking news arrives which completely shatters the order of the day. We watch the students struggle for meaning, order and safety, as a possible threat of violence also appears.
 
Finally, in the midst of this chaos, we see who the Teacher truly is and where he/she has been all along.

 
The play explores the craving for power, absolute answers, ultimate authority and someone to idolize. The theme is particularly timely today as it opens a window into many kinds of beliefs and the individuals who are caught up in them.
 


 
 
                                                              


                          KNOCK THE DOOR DOWN

​KNOCK THE DOOR DOWN is a comedy of errors about how misunderstandings  grow uncontrollably, causing simple events to turn into catastrophes, when basically nothing is wrong.  What starts out as a simple morning ends with the therapist, trapped inside her office by a patient, who was once the victim of a home invasion, and is terrified that it will happen again.
 This wild and wacky play, set in a NYC therapist’s office, explores the ways in which our feverish imagination takes on a life of its own, creating what we fear the most.  The trouble begins when the therapist’s nervous son cannot reach his mother on the phone at the usual time. Convinced that she’s in trouble, he instantly calls the agitated doorman, demanding that he run upstairs and Knock The Door Down.  When the terrified patient hears someone banging, positive it’s the home invader, she goes wild and barricades the door inside.  
Convinced they’re dealing with a hostage situation, the entire building becomes involved. Soon police, TV news and reporters rush to the scene.
At the end, shockingly, with no help from the therapist, the patient is finally cured. We watch her leave the office and walk bravely into the world.
The play explores the ways in which unwarranted fear turns into paranoia and what it takes for sanity to be suddenly restored.  

 



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