Plays
Samples from most of my plays are available on my NPX page.
Charlie Johnson Reads All of Proust
An old man gets a lecture on Proust from his snooty daughter-in- law. Determined to prove he's no dummy, he decides to read it all, and discovers the epic of his own life.
Produced by Midnight Theatre Co., St. Louis, 2019
Self- Produced at the Den Theatre, Chicago, 2019
On the Continuous Dream podcast
Healer
A young psychiatrist negotiates her new practice and her wedding plans, as she wonders how to cope with an unsympathetic patient.
Reading: Ubiquitous Players, 2023
A Legacy
One act (45 minutes) A nun searches for her missing twin brother as their conflicted history haunts her.
Commission: Refracted Theatre, 2022
Reading: Ubiquitous Players, 2022
Fourteen
One act (50 minutes) Three high school freshman girls befriend the robot who has joined their class and try to get her elected class president.
Winner: Tennessee Williams One Act Play Contest, New Orleans, 2020-2021
Produced at Front Range Comm. College, 2022
The Arlo File
A young detective must train her new robot partner, and learns the "perfect" computer brain has human flaws.
Reading: Ubiquitous Players, 2022
The Hamster
The biggest Trump election-night party in 2016: the one at Vladimir Putin's house.
Reading: Jarvis Square Pottery, 2022
Civilization
Maybe we'd be happier in simpler times. A family finds out, when their computer assistant is able to manipulate time and space.
Semifinalist: B Street Comedies, 2020
The Death of Captain Hero
When the lead actor of a Saturday morning cartoon show dies a scandalous death, the head writer wants to give him a heroic send-off on the show. But it's against an actual FCC regulation for a character to die on a children's Saturday morning cartoon. O'Neill semifinalist 2013, Princess Grace Award semifinalist 2017. Ninth Place, 88th Annual Writers Digest Contest 2019.
Readings: 3 Brothers Theatre, Waukegan, 2016
Three Cat Productions, Chicago, 2015
Available Light Theatre, Columbus, 2015
Chameleon Theatre Circle, Minneapolis, 2013
Wells and Welles
A rainy night in 1940, two years after the infamous "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast. Orson Welles and HG Wells happen to be at the same motel in San Antonio. Orson has a favor to ask.
AACT New Plays Fest quarterfinalist, 2020
Reading: Chicago Dramatists, 2019
On the Continuous Dream podcast
Buddha's Birthday
Pamela's husband would like her to go on anxiety medication. Her niece becomes enlightened. Raccoons set fire to the house.
Reading: Chicago Dramatists Master Class, 2021
Metadata
Two psychologists studying human behavior run experiments on social media. At first it's fun to study who likes and shares cute cat videos, but when they're assigned to create a new political action group, things take a dark turn.
Produced by DavJasFran Entertainment, 2021
Neukom Award finalist, 2019
Garry Marshall New Works semifinalist, 2018
Screencraft Stage Play semifinalist, 2018
Reading: Three Cat Productions, 2018
The Last Sane Man
A shy college student meets a young man with a theory: insanity is caused by a virus that is spreading around the globe.
Readings: Piccolo Theatre, Evanston, 2017
Chicago Dramatists, 2016
Spartan Theatre Company, Chicago, 2016
Leda
A young woman is captured in the Peloponnesian War, made a slave in Athens, and is seduced by a soldier who tells her he's Zeus in disguise.
Self-Produced in Chicago, 2017
Reading: Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, 2015
The Morrigan
The ancient legends of Irish hero Cuchulainn.
Produced by Trinity High School, 2019
The Sound
A couple is driven to surreal madness by a sound coming through the walls of their new apartment.
Reading: Coffee and Whisky Productions, 2019
Seven Devils Conference semifinalist, 2017
Poet and Warrior
30 years in the relationship between Irish poet William Butler Yeats and revolutionary Maud Gonne.
Readings: Prop Theatre, Chicago, 2018
Greenhouse Theatre, Chicago, 2014 and 2015
On the Continuous Dream podcast
The False Years
A half-hour monologue in which a man leaving a psych ward tries to work out when it all went wrong.
Eclectic Full Contact Theatre podcast, 2023
Locked Ward
When a nurse is apparently murdered in a psych ward, the patients must hold themselves together to solve the mystery.
Produced by First Run Theatre, 2022
Readings: Three Cat Productions, Chicago, 2014
Creative Studio Space, 2009
Ten Minute Plays:
Crossing Over
American Blues Theatre Ripped Festival 2020
A Day Full of Life
Children's Weird Wonderful Fest 2022
Proofreading
Third place winner, James Stevenson Prize 2019
The Bible
The Artistic Home Cut to the Chase Festival 2019
The Terrible Secret
Stage Left Theatre Drek Fest 2019
Sue
20% Theatre Snapshots Festival 2016
Between Here and Our Destination
Three Cat Productions Holiday Stories 2014
Page Ten
Chameleon Theatre Circle 2014
Fading Away
Women's Theatre Alliance 2013
Projections
Chicago Dramatists Ten Minute Workshop 2011
Sell the House
Second City Level 5 Showcase 2008
Chicago One Minute Play Festival: 2016, 2017, 2018
More ten minute plays are on the Continuous Dream podcast
Directors of my work include:
Keira Fromm, Pat Henderson, Jason Smith, T. Paul Lowry, Duck Washington, Sarah Holt, Charlie Marie McGrath, Natalie Sallee, Tabbi Kolber, Kyle McCloskey, Myesha-Tiara, Lexi Saunders, Patricia Tinsley, Jacob Janssen, Stephanie Stroud, Davette J. Franklin, Bec Willett, Kevin Christopher Fox
Teachers I have studied with:
Dana Lynn Formby, Alice Austen, Will Dunne, Philip Dawkins, Emilio Williams, Douglas Post, Calamity West, Marisela Treviño Orta, Mary Scruggs, Jay Steigmann, Leigh Fondakowski