A collection of short comedic plays that take theatrical conventions on a metaphysical joyride This unique compilation of wittily inventive short comedies can be performed by as few as 4 actors or as many as 18, all with minimal set and prop requirements. Many of these plays have gone on to receive highly successful productions around the world, garnering glowing reviews along the way. The plays included in the collection are: The Craft 1M/1F Approx. 10 minutes It's Act 2, Scene 3 in another night's performance of a less-than-riveting romantic drama. As the two young leads navigate their turgid love scene, employing all their dramatic skills in an attempt to breathe life into their two-dimensional characters, another, far more gripping story is unfolding just beneath the surface. Despite a mutual loathing of each other, a devotion to the craft ensures that the show will go on; but the inner dialogues that play out inside each of them reveal a far different narrative than the one being played out on the stage. A Flawed Character 2 Any Age/Race/Gender Combination Approx. 10 minutes The playwright creates the first character of his new play, but soon after the entire process grinds to a halt. As time marches on and the play continues to stagnate, the character's patience begins to wear thin. As frustration turns into animosity and antagonism, the playwright begins to realize that perhaps this is one relationship that was never meant to be. But what's a writer to do? The Skewed Picture 1M/1F Approx. 10 minutes Bob and Betty have settled in for a quiet night at home. That is, until Bob makes a startling discovery that has the potential to reshape their entire existence...or at least their living room. Filler 1M/1F Approx. 10 minutes Two characters come to realize that the extended scene written for them in the middle of the play has no intrinsic value, does nothing to propel the story forward, and to all intents and purposes is completely extraneous. Their raison d'être pulled from under them, can they still maintain their credibility and sanity through several pages of what's little more than filler? The Curious Art of Critique 2M/1F Approx. 15 minutes When reaction to his work on a new drama appears tepid at best, the director decides he must tackle the problem head-on and root out whatever it is that's leaving the audience unmoved. One way or another, the evening seems destined to end in tears. What's the Meta? 2 Any Age/Race/Gender Combination Approx. 10 minutes Two written parts wait to be brought to life on a stage. One of them, however, is found to be mired in a crisis of self-worth due to the size and quality of their role. The larger, more developed part must then attempt to convince its smaller counterpart of just how necessary they both are to the production that is soon to begin, and of the true and indisputable collaborative nature of theatre. A Rebel Among the Wretched 1M/2F Approx. 10 minutes A celebrated, multi-award winning dysfunctional family drama continues to enthrall audiences night after night. But what happens when one of the characters finally decides they've had enough doom and despair and resolves to leave the play to join...a musical? Tacked-on Ending 2M Approx. 10 minutes It's the end of the evening and two actors pack up their belongings and prepare to leave the theatre. While one of them felt the show went great, the other is left with the uneasy feeling that the final scene didn't quite deliver. Was his performance to blame, or was it the play's deus ex machina, which is not only highly implausible but also oddly familiar? "The Craft - a hysterical two-hander about two mutually loathing actors playing a scene with their every inner thought being spoken out loud. I loved it, it was immediate, punchy writing and crucially extremely witty." -There Ought To Be Clowns, London "The highlight was 'The Craft' by Andrew Biss...I laughed so heartily that my sides ached and now just thinking about pandas brings back a chuckle..." -Views from the Gods, London "Theatrical crack... One hell of a good time...In a truly esoteric stint, 'What's the Meta?' offers up a conversation between the words that make up two different characters in a play...making me speechless." -OC Weekly "Andrew Biss's script (Filler) is a really fun idea, which sees Shane and Tatyana suspect they aren't the most important people on stage. When Tatyana points out, 'this scene is completely unnecessary to the arc of the overall story' it all starts to get a bit meta, drawing inspiration from Beckett." -Views from the Gods, London "Change can't come soon enough for the two characters mired in Andrew Biss' 'The Craft', the night's last and funniest piece" -The Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel "The marvelous 'The Craft'...A hilarious insight into the inner dialogue these characters are having on stage as they are acting in a play." -The Public Reviews, London From