Produced
Room 219: I Remember the Night
10 Minute Play. 2W.
A recently married lesbian couple arrive at their honeymoon suite, excited for the future, but still held by the past.
Part of the "Room 219" plays, a collection of plays that all take place in the same hotel room.
"These women feel so raw and real to me. A poignant dramedy perfect for a LGBTQI festival during Pride Month." - Asher Wyndham, NPX
Production History
May 2017 - Mary Baldwin University, director Shaina Riddle
Unproduced: Full Length
Cameo Friend
4M, 5W.
Everyone knows a guy like Kevin: funny, self-deprecating, and a functioning depressant. But Kevin decides he needs to start branching out to make lasting relationships, and goes to the most obvious choice to do so . . . The Internet. Darkly comedic and morbidly romantic, Cameo Friend explores the mind of someone who wants to make you laugh, in an attempt to hide their true self from those very same people.
“Justin taps into the college zeitgeist with characters students will recognize instantly and who will make them look at the people around them a little differently. I knew a Kevin in college and this play made me wonder where he is now.” - Donna Hoke, NPX
"Cameo Friend captures a sad reality for many college and post-college 20 somethings . . . Kevin will break your heart . . . speaks to average joes - straight, GL, or B. I recommend reaching out to Guidroz and workshopping this with him." - Asher Wyndham, NPX
"Guidroz unflinchingly guides us through a modern fable, acquainting us with a man who is neither likable nor unlikable . . Cameo Friend is funny and dark and miserable, and is a tale about the consequences of using people." - Emily Hageman, NPX
Creon
13M, 5W, 12N.
Pursued by Fate, Creon tries to maintain harmony between family and duty in this tragic reimagining of Sophocles' Oedipus Cycle.
The Last Bus
5M, 3W
A group of parents wait in a community center for a bus bringing their children out of a school shooting, as tensions run high with battles of faith, parenting, and political ideals.
"An intense, riveting, perfectly punctuated ensemble drama . . . Faith and ideologies of parenting clash in this exceptional short play. Perfect for any festival on gun control. Check it out." - Asher Wyndham, NPX
“When the unthinkable happens, even something as normal as a slice of pizza takes on a meaning all it's own. Intense and riveting, "The Last Bus" is a sort of "Grand Hotel" of clashing personalities, all brought together by grim circumstances which are becoming far too prevalent these days, and rendered here with heartbreaking specificity, emotion, and truth.” - Doug DeVita, NPX
“THE LAST BUS is a gut wrenching play, and Guidroz shows just how tense a situation can get when emotions are high and underlying thoughts escape. Unfortunately, scenes like this are far too commonplace in the real world today, but hopefully with writing like Guidroz's we can come one step closer to navigating these situations.” - Clayton Bauldree, NPX
“I am blown away by the level of emotional and physical reality Guidroz creates in this play. It is amazing how much one connects and believes these characters, even though many of their stereotypes have been turned on their head. In summary, a new favorite of mine. Highly recommend.” - Noah Johnson, NPX
THE MURDER MYSTERY CLUB’S FINAL CASE
4M, 4W
For the last forty years, Eddie, Anne, Reggie, Charles, Christina, and Bridget have been getting together and watching murder mysteries, placing bets on who they think will be the killer based solely on the synopsis, characters, and their extensive knowledge of murder mysteries. The bet, always won by Charles, has been furloughed every year, accumulating a total of five hundred thousand dollars in cash. When Reggie wins for the first time, he calls the bet in, but this year, everyone has their eyes on the cash.
And one has their finger on the trigger.
“Humor mixed with deception, great combination for a murder. A cast of characters reminds me of Agatha Christie's technique, but this is definitely modern. Love exists but cynicism persists in the jaded hostess and the fortune hunting fiancé. Couldn't put this one down as the ends were all tied in a bundle of entrances and exits. I especially liked the setting in a mansion rumored to have a thousand bedrooms. This play earns its place in the pantheon of murder mysteries.” - Donna Gordon, NPX
“Deliciously arch dialogue, full of zingers and red herrings, and great character roles for older actors give Justin Guidroz's "The Murder Mystery Club's Final Case" a sly sense of fun, like Nick and Nora Charles ran into the Golden Girls and they all had a field day. ” - Doug DeVita, NPX
“I love mysteries, and I love that this play has a cast of mostly 60+ actors. It’s a fun story with an intriguing plot that kept me guessing. If you’re looking for mysteries with roles for older actors, definitely take a look at this one!” - Jennifer O’Grady, NPX
STACK TRACE
3M.
Lyle, a computer hacker, finds himself tied up in a basement by a brutally abusive detective accusing him of orchestrating an underground child pornography distribution ring. But is Lyle the person he is looking for?
"A cleverly written play . . . Guidroz has a knack for quick and fun dialogue that easily masks the disturbing conversations and makes you feel comfortable enough to read till the end." - Nelson Diaz-Marcano, NPX
Wish You Were Here
A funeral of a close friend brings five estranged childhood friends back together, and as told through three generations: as young kids, teenagers on the cusp of adulthood, and mature adults, their stories interweave as we see old wounds reopen and friendships are tested by the ghosts of their pasts.
Unproduced: One-Acts/10 Minute Plays
Exhibit
10 Minute Play. 2N, 1M, 1W, 1 child (Last three can be puppets.)
Two mysterious entities muse on the art and beauty of death.
“This short play looks to describe what counts as a beautiful death. EXHIBIT's subtle comedy perfectly contrast the gory subject matter and will make you laugh in spite of yourself. This is a beautifully crafted play with intense character moments for actors to play with!” - Clayton Bauldree, NPX
“EXHIBIT pulls you into the world of the macabre. An eerie display of life and death that tantalizes and disgusts! Two figures in plague doctor masks critique bodies that have befallen gruesome murders in increasingly disturbing exhibitions. Chilling! Justin Guidroz has created an excellent work of Horror!” - Monica Cross, NPX
“A macabre confrontation of the romanticizing and commodification of death, particularly that of women and young people. Full of stark, creepy imagery that would be absolutely eerie onstage. I also appreciated the slight delve into the meta—in many ways, this play perfectly describes the feeling a writer gets whilst killing off a character. I hope to get the chance to see a production of this play—I can only imagine what a director and actors could do with it, and I can’t wait to see what it looks like!” - Liz Dooley, NPX
MATTHEW WEAVER WITHOUT WORDS
10 Minute Play. 2M, 6F, 3N
When Matthew Weaver, playwright, discards an idea for a character, his past characters come together to defend her.
A short play written for Matthew Weaver, fellow playwright and friend, on his 40th birthday.
“MATTHEW WEAVER WITHOUT WORDS is true to it's name. Telling the story only through Movement and Projections, Justin Guidroz shares with us the story of a character abandoned and ultimately re-imagined by her playwright, Matthew Weaver. Featuring a number of characters from Matthew Weaver's other work, this play whimsical and beautiful and a wonderful tribute to Matthew Weaver!” - Monica Cross, NPX
RAFTERS
10 Minute Play, 4-8N
Two balls stuck in the rafters of a middle school gymnasium wonder if life is worth it.
“Sentient gym balls while away the time stuck in the gym rafters by discussing existential angst and making fun of the kids in gym class below. What's not to like? Witty, challenging, and endlessly amusing to picture being staged (particularly the moment when other suddenly-sentient balls are used to dislodge our ceiling-dwelling heroes), this would be a blast to put together. Nice work.” - Toby Malone, NPX
Room 219: But What About . . .
10 Minute Play, 1M, 1W
A young man meets with an older woman for a night of romance, but begins to have second thoughts about the encounter.
Part of the "Room 219" plays, a collection of plays that all take place in the same hotel room.
ROOM 219: CASUAL ENCOUNTER
10 Minute Play, 1M, 1W
Two young people meet at a hotel after meeting online, but neither know how to make a move.
Part of the "Room 219" plays, a collection of plays that all take place in the same hotel room.
“The concept of this collection of plays is extremely fun, giving the audience that “fly on the wall” experience. I love the awkward encounter between two people who naive to the world of hooking up online. The characters are endearing, giving us laugh after laugh while they are mortified in their newly discovered social situation” - Janice Hibbard, NPX
ROOM 219: FIRST COME . . .
A man is the first to show up to an orgy, and is afraid he may be the only one. A monologue.
Part of the "Room 219" plays, a collection of plays that all take place in the same hotel room.
“This man who wants to participate in a hotel orgy in Guidroz's short monologue never disgusted me. The playwright is not interested in disgust. This man seems desperate for connection with as many people from work as possible through group sex. But it's more than about group sex. It makes you wonder about his life and what brought him to this hotel room, the reason why he's not on a date. And it makes you wonder about the other souls from work who are just like him. I've never encountered a character like this before.” - Asher Wyndham, NPX
ROOM 219: SPICE IT UP
10 Minute Play, 2M, 1 F
A struggling couple try to add some spark to their sexual relationship, and the wife has some . . . inventive ideas.
Part of the "Room 219" plays, a collection of plays that all take place in the same hotel room.
“A funny piece that keeps you guessing and makes you want to get on stage and help Bruce through the whole "fiasco."” - Timothy Gadomski, NPX
THE SWEAR CLUB
10 Minute Play, 3N, 2F, 1M
When a group of kids are overhead swearing during recess, they are brought into the disciplinarian’s office to face the consequences.
“Guidroz totally captures the delightful innocence and the glee with which tweens discover and use foul language, and gives us a wonderfully funny trip back to a time when cursing was both dangerous and cool.” - Doug DeVita, NPX
“A joyous roller-coaster ride of proto-swears that evolves catastrophically into the real deal, with a group of middle schoolers awaiting their fate after being caught using blue language in the schoolyard. Moves a mile a minute, always teetering on the edge of going entirely off the rails, replete with the injustice of being busted for another kid's actions. Delightful!” - Toby Malone, NPX
“What a foul good time. To say it’s funny it’s to be obvious, the real triumph is the message about the power words carry and how Justin delivers it.” - Nelson Diaz-Marcano, NPX
“Deceased from laughter! Hilarious from beginning to end (especially if these kids are played by adults)! Right on, Justin Guidroz!” - Eytan Deray, NPX
“ Every line had me cracking up. Having adult actors play middle schoolers will amp up the comedy. Don't dismiss this as just a silly play about potty language. This will be a hit at your comedy showcase.” - Asher Wyndham, NPX
“Okay, this made me laugh way harder than it should have. It's absolutely genius--and it really carries a really interesting message about how words are just words, and it's only the meaning that we assign to them that means anything at all. That being said, I literally have never seen a bunch of words strung together so hilariously in all my life. This play is intensely quotable, and just plain hilarious. Hats off, Guidroz!” - Emily Hageman, NPX
In Development: Full Lengths
BOTTOM’S DREAM
Nicholas Bottom, famed tragedian of the Mechanicals, laments for the sense of family he had felt during his brief time in the fairy kingdom. Peasblossom, Nick's favorite, also yearns for the fatherly connection she felt with Bottom. So she decides to steal away and pose herself as an orphan girl, hoping to be adopted. However, this angers the Indian Boy, who swears violent vengeance of whoever stole his bride away. A continuation of "The Mechanicals in Elsinore".
ET TU
A mysterious Summerstock program invites eight college actors to work under the tutelage of a famous Shakespeare director. But when one staging exercise goes too far, the students have to survive the director's vile schemes.
THE FUCKBOYS OF CANTERBURY
An Austin-inspired story with a modern twist, "The Fuckboys of Canterbury" draws a direct line between the actions of courting between today and yesterday. Full of anachronisms and classic relationship arcs, "FoC" explores how different, and similar, we are to our ancestral wooers.
HEDDA: A PLAY WITH MUSIC
Hedda, the daughter of a legendary rocker and producer, is reunited with her former bandmate, Al, after a stint in rehab. Now engaged to a milquetoast musician and pursued by her former bandmate-turned-label head, Brack, Hedda must find her way out of the mundane and regain control over her own life again.
An adaptation of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler with original music.
LEVEL HEAD
A psychologist testifies in court when his patient is found guilty of murder.
THE MECHANICALS IN ELSINORE
Nick Bottom and the Mechanicals have fallen upon hard times until they hear about a high paying gig in Elsinore. Little did they know that they were heading to their untimely doom.
NEW YEARS
Every year, Fred and his son, Tim, have celebrated New Years together. But as the years go on, and perceptions shift, the fatherly bond is tested and strained. Can the two men keep the tradition alive when it is the only thing holding them together?
NUCLEAR FAMILY
A family survives a nuclear blast, but just because the landscape is gone, does that mean their domestic life must be blown away too? Leave It To Beaver meets Fallout in this dark comedy.
OEDIPUS JUST DOESN’T GET IT
King Oedipus' kingdom is falling into pieces, and despite everyone trying to show him the truth, he simply doesn't see it. A facial romp through Thebes as everyone tries to get this blind figure to see his clearest flaws.
THE REST IS SILENCE
Hamlet returns to Elsinore to find his father dead, his uncle king and his new father-in-law. And that simply won't do. A rock opera based on Shakespeare's Hamlet.
SONGS OF ARDEN
A young man, running from his life, stumbles across a band a wandering souls in the woods, and with them learns about himself and his place in life, all the while making some great music. Inspired by Shakespeare's As You Like It.
STAGED READING
Interactive Full Length.
A staged reading of a college produced work is underway, bringing in all forms of theatre student into one room. Plays out in real time.
TRUE TO ONESELF
2M, 3W
Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll's House" shakes the theatrical world when it premieres, and in Berlin, famous actress Hedwig Niemann-Raabe refuses to play Nora unless the ending is changed, upending the entire production. As Ibsen wrestles with this censorship, an old friend, Laura Kieler, appears on his doorstep
WHAT COULD GO WRONG AT A SUNDAY MATINÉE?
Kelsey Savanch, a reclusive playwright, has decided to attend a production of their new show, unbeknownst to the cast and crew of said show, who are currently on the verge of collapse. When the two leads decide to completely rewrite the ending without telling anyone else, the entire production falls apart as they all sit powerless to watch. Will they be able to save the show by the final curtain?
WHEN JESUS SACKED THE TEMPLE OF DRAG
Jesus, a young up and coming drag queen, thinks they have found a home in the illustrious "Temple of Drag", the zenith of the drag world. But after their opening performance, Jesus is faced with a momentous decision.
In Development: One-Acts/10 Minute Plays
THE BIG DAY
10 Minute Play, Silent.
The bride and groom get ready for their wedding. A silent pantomime.
EIGHT 90S CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF A REBOOT
One Act.
In a sterile board room, two staff interns are pulling an all-nighter trying to find the next thirty year old franchise to revive for their streaming service.
And then they walk in.
GHOSTLIGHT
One-Act. 2 Actors.
On a barren dark stage on a college campus, an old alumni walks into the silent space to say goodbye. When a student returns for their book, the two discuss fame, acting, and what it's all worth.
Ill TheRAPY
8 actors.
A collection of short pieces and monologues centered on mental illness.
THE MORNING AFTER
One-Act. 2 actors
.After an intense incident changes the relationship of two friends forever, they ruminate over the ideas of choice, will, and autonomy over a McDonald's breakfast.
THE SYSTEMATIC UNMANNING OF TED CRUZ
One actor.
Finding himself sitting at a desk phone campaigning for Donald Trump, Ted Cruz begins to question his life choices that have led him here, and the dark future that waits ahead.
THREAD
One-Act. One Actor.
One person can see through the clouds and connect all the dots. But can they do it in time. A one person show that asks the question: can you find a common thread between every conspiracy theory ever?
WAITING FOR WAITING FOR GODOT
Andy has been stage managing a production of "Waiting for Godot" for over 11 months. Until it's done, his whole life is on hold. It has to happen one day, right?
Based on a true story.