Bumbershoot – The Plays of Jeffrey James Ircink
for 20-page samples of my original plays, click on "read the rest of this entry"“Jesus Pushed A Grocery Cart”
A man with car trouble and a homeless dude cross paths with mixed results.
10-minute, drama (2M)
Left to right: Mike Loranger & Randall T. Anderson in HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink
U.S. premiere, HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink, The Alchemist Theatre, Milwaukee, WI, March 21-23, 28-30, April 4-6, 2013.
“I loved it!!!!!!!!!! Surprised me when I saw it…the end totally threw me for a loop, in a good way. I’m still thinking it over….’Jesus loves you?’. It definitely had my attention. It’s got a kind of psychological mystification.” – Katie Anderson, writer, visual artist, member of Inked-In.com, poet, Indiana
“Choking the Choad in Bel Air”
Left to right: Bryan Damske & Jeffrey James Ircink in HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink
A dissertation on seven years spent on an estate in Bel Air, CA with “the bitch”.
World premiere, HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink, The Alchemist Theatre, Milwaukee, WI, March 21-23, 28-30, April 4-6, 2013.
“Conor Francis Comes Home to Ballycullen”
Left to right: Kathy Landry, Thom Cauley, Matt Roth & Greg Ryan in HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink
A young Dublin lad sits down to visit his parents in Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Then the shit hits the fan.
World premiere, HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink, The Alchemist Theatre, Milwaukee, WI, March 21-23, 28-30, April 4-6, 2013.
“Twisted Nice Mirage”
A chance meeting at a party thrusts two strangers into a volatile situation that each won’t soon forget. But be careful – a game is only fun when everyone is “in on it”. 10-minute, drama (1M, 1W)
Kyle Gallagher-Schmidt & Zoe Schwartz in HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink
World premiere, HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink, The Alchemist Theatre, Milwaukee, WI, March 21-23, 28-30, April 4-6, 2013.
“Wow – it left me stunned. Truly thought-provoking…Reading it leaves me with a dozen questions.”
– Cindy Houston Huber, Cedar Rapids, IA
“Oh my…I like it. Love the witty banter and twist. It was kinda hot until I got to the very end…Nice work, my good playwright friend.”
– Dee Rich, actress, Phoenix, AZ
“That was fun! At first I was thinking in actor mode with ‘Hey! Wait a minute…she needs to be more misleading for his switch to flip like that’. but then the punchline kicked in and I was had. Thank you!” – Megan Ginsberg, actress, Cedar Rapids, IA
“Billy Balfoor Wants An Apology”
Six-year-old Billy Balfoor is the “most evilest boy on the planet”. That – according to Laird Clazerbak, who resided with Billy and his mother for two years. Laird’s disdain for Billy is so horrendous that he tries to kill Billy on several occasions – unsuccessfully. Put on trial for attempted murder, Laird pleads not guilty by reason of temporary insanity and gets off with no jail time, save for a two-year stay at a psychiatric hospital on one of the Hawaiian Islands.
Fifteen years later, Billy somehow manages to track Laird down, kidnaps and holds him bound and gagged in an abandoned warehouse. Why? Revenge – but all Billy really wants is an apology. Who’s gonna bend first? 10-minute, drama (2M)
Finalist, Short & Sweet/Sydney,The Biggest Little Play Festival in the World, produced at Newtown Theatre, Sydney, Australia, February 16-20, 2011.
Left to right: Steve Warwick (Laird), director Grant Wilcox and Chris Turner (Billy).
Semi-Finalist, Short & Sweet/Sydney, The Biggest Little Play Festival in the World, Australia, January 2010.
Semi-Finalist, Short & Sweet/Brisbane,The Biggest Little Play Festival in the World, Australia, August 2009.
U.S. premiere, HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink, The Alchemist Theatre, Milwaukee, WI, March 21-23, 28-30, April 4-6, 2013.
“I just read “BILLY”…I really liked it. The stakes are so high but (and I hate to say this) it’s funny too. I’d love to direct it – that is the coolest directorial nut to crack. It has more substance than many of the plays I’ve read recently.”
– Dee Rich, actor/director
“…I’m very happy with how the week went…we all really enjoyed working on “BILLY” . It was different and it had impact…it received one of the biggest ovations of the night. A guy sitting behind me…said, ‘that was fucking brilliant’…you could hear a pin drop…the tension is palpable.”
– Grant Wilcox, director of “Billy” at Short+Sweet Sydney 2011, The Biggest Little Play Festival in the World
Left to right: Mack Heath (LAIRD) & Matt Roth (BILLY) in HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink
“BILLY BALFOOR WANTS AN APOLOGY”…saw the reprisal of Chris Turner from “Separating the Dust”in a very similar role which could have been slightly distracting for some, but at the same time gave the audience the chance to see the demands on some of the performers. It was difficult to pinpoint which character should garner the audience’s sympathies and perhaps this was the charm of the project – the premise of whether there could possibly be a truly evil child was one that was difficult to settle definitively in the short timeframe. Strong performances contributed to this compelling complexity.”
– Leisa Woodman, AussieTheatre.com
“Pass the Salt, Please.”
What would happen if the dinner conversation of a married couple in their 50’s resembled the script pages of a scene in an adult film? As a man and woman catch up on the day’s events, their banter morphs from “ho-hum” to “whoop-eee!” – without missing a “bite”. The scene reflects the state of sex in the America of the feminine mystique, as viewed by feminist Betty Friedan. 10-minute, mature comedy (1M, 1W, 1 Announcer)
Dave and Linda Parke rehearsing “PTSP.” for Drakes’ Erotic Emporium in Los Angeles, Summer 2007.
* BEST OF SHOW – UNcover: A two-nite art exhibition with an erotic vibe – juried show, Cedar Rapids, IA, March 2007 (directed).
* NEW! Short film, PASS THE SALT, PLEASE, stars Academy Award nominee Seymour Cassel and Emmy winner Fionnula Flanagan, with actors Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Radha Mitchell as executive producers. Directed by Tatjana Najdanovic. Official selection to the following 2011-12 film festivals: Sydney International, Big Sur (Gala Finalist), Palm Springs International ShortFest (Jury Award, Special Citation – Best OnScreen Pairing), LA ShortsFest International, Rhode Island International, Milwaukee, Raindance (London), Orlando, St. Louis, Austin, Cleveland, San Jose (Cinequest, Special Jury Prize/Short Film), The Really Funny Horny Goat International Short FF (Milwaukee, Golden Horn/Audience Favorite), Wisconsin FF (Madison), Florida FF, Hawaii, Chicago International FF, ShortsUP (Romania), King Bonn New Media (China), Husseca International FF (Spain), Seattle Erotic Arts Festival, Seattle International FF, Maryland FF, WorldFest (Houston, Gold Remi Winner), Belgrade, Atlanta, Artscape (Baltimore), BendFilm (Oregon), Reggio FF (Italy), USA Film Festival (Dallas, National Short Film & Video Competition Finalist), New Orleans, NYC Short FF, Tallgrass FF (Kansas), Free State FF (Kansas) and Warsaw, Poland. Click here for Kickstarter trailer.
* Semi-Finalist, Short & Sweet/Sydney: The Biggest Little Play Festival in the World, Australia, December, 2007.
* Los Angeles premiere, Drake’s Erotic Emporium on Melrose in West Hollywood, Saturday, August 2007.
* The Little Red Studio’s Erotic Shorts Festival, April 24 – May 3, 2009.
* Performance for artists-only opening night gala, Seattle Erotic Arts Festival, April 30, 2009.
* Southeastern Premiere @ City Theatre’s Summer Shorts Festival/“Undershorts”, May – June, 2009, Miami.
*Kaplan High School, Kaplan, LA, 9/30/2010
*Imperial Players, Imperial, Saskatchewan, Canada, 12/10/2010
Greg Ryan & Brooke Maroldi, HASHTAG MAYHEM! – 6 short, dark plays by Jeffrey James Ircink
* Milwaukee premiere @ Hashtag Mayhem, an evening of 6 short, sordid plays by Jeffrey James Ircink, The Alchemist Theatre, Milwaukee, March-April 2013.
* For publication by Heuer Publishing Co in Fall 2009. Contact me for copies of the play until further notice. For future reference, copies of this play and royalty information will be available through HEUER PUBLISHING CO.
“What I love about your work in this play, Jeff, is the fun, sexy, funny and ultimately very poignant writing. Congratulations, Jeff. Well done.”
– Gary Garrison, playwright, author, exec. director for Creative Affairs of The Dramatists Guild of America, artistic dir. and division head of playwriting for the Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing at the Tisch School of the Arts, New York, on the performance of “PTSP.” at the Summer Shorts Festival in Miami, May-June 2009.
I love it, love it, love it! It’s spot on and heart-breakingly hilarious…I hope that ‘Pass the Salt, Please.’ has legs of steel!”
– Donna Latham, playwright, Chicago, IL
“I love the play. I have high expectations for (its) proper performance (in order to) do it the entitled justice.”
– Casey Kasparek, Artist/UNcover organizer, Mount Vernon, IA
“I love the play…the jewel of the Undershorts program.”
– Stuart Meltzer, Artistic Director, City Theatre, Miami, FL
“Garcia and Trovillion reach a new level of comedy gold in Jeffrey James Ircink’s “Pass the Salt, Please.”…The sheer simplicity of it all…One of my favorite pieces of the night.”
– Alexis Scheer, The Playground
“The best pieces are Michael McKeever’s “Cravin Tutweiler: (The Real Life Story Of)” (Signature Shorts), Christopher Durang’s “Kitty the Waitress” (Signature Shorts), and Jeffrey James Ircink’s “Pass the Salt, Please.” (Undershorts). These bawdy, viciously witty, and unerringly self-aware little plays demonstrate a control of tone and speed that writers and interpreters of even very long plays should study and emulate.”
– Brandon K. Thorp, Miami New Times
“ ‘Pass the Salt, Please.’, written by Jeffrey James Ircink, is easily the most uproarious piece although the least promising on paper.”
– Bill Hirshman, Sun-Sentinel, Miami
“…”Pass the Salt, Please.” was absolutely one of the best play in Undershorts…I look forward to more of your plays!”
– CLJ, SouthFloridaTheatreScene.com
“The language is raw, yet the characters never flinch. Instead, as if to almost say, ‘There…take that!’, Ircink follows each divulged explicit sex act wish with the simple title line. The salt is then passed. The scene is reminiscent of a well played chess match.”
– Michael Martin, Edge – Miami, FL
“Three of the better plays in Undershorts are the first three — they come at you right out of the gate, a rat-a-tat-tat of racy wackiness…’April Showers’, ‘Sodom & Gororrah: Priced to Sell’, and ‘Pass the Salt, Please.’…Trovillion is in five of the seven plays, is both hysterical and touching, combining the two perfectly in ‘Pass the Salt, Please.’ ”
– Mary Damiano, Miami Artzine
Michael Blum and Heather Ward in “PTSP.” at The Little Red Studio’s Erotic Shorts Festival, April 24 – May3, 2009, Seattle.
“It went beautifully! Your play was a total hit!”
– Kerry Christiansen, The Little Red Studio, Seattle, WA
“…if you see just one, the smart money says to check out Undershorts, which includes maybe the awesomest short the Miami New Times has ever witnessed – “Pass the Salt, Please”, by Jeffrey James Ircink…you gotta see it.”
– Brandon K. Thorp, Miami News Times, June 2009, regarding City Theatre’s Summer Shorts Festival 2009 moving to Fort Lauderdale for its final week
“…there’s a reason it was placed at the close of the show.”
– Donn Christiansen, director/actor, The Little Red Studio, Seattle, WA
“To this day, one of my favorite short plays ever written.”
– Michael McKeever, actor, playwright, Fort Laudersale, FL
“I saw the show at Little Red Studio last night. The whole evening was wonderful, but ‘Pass the Salt, Please.’ was utterly brilliant. There was so much going on in it, and just when I thought I had the couple figured out the ground shifted underneath me and I started seeing it from a different angle.”
– Patti Beadles, patron & performance artist, San Francisco
“Seriously, that show was the most fun I’ve had doing anything on stage for a long time. Thank you Jeff, for a brilliant script…What a finely polished yet multifaceted little nugget we produced! I miss it still. It has been carefully stored away in one of the special keepsake compartments of my heart, to pull out and marvel at whenever I need a lift. For that, I can never thank you enough.”
– Heather Ward, the “Woman” in “PTSP.” at The Little Red Studio’s Erotic Shorts Festival, Seattle, WA
“I really enjoyed your play, best of the bunch as far as I’m concerned.”
– Gordon McConnell, directo of “PTSP.”, City Theatre’s Summer Shorts Festival 2009, Miami, FL
“It was GREAT! I loved your script from the minute I first read it! I look forward to reading your future shows. Michael and Heather had the audience in hysterics… It seems that the three of us make a great team in making your words come to life the way you intended (i hope)…It was from what I heard from audience the *hit* of the night!…one of the best shows I ever worked on!”
– Cherilynn Brooks, director of “PTSP.” at The Little Red Studio’s Erotic Shorts Festival, Seattle, WA
“…this was truly a wonderful experience, especially for my first theatrical outing in my new home town. Aside from the brilliance from all three of you (which was extraordinary), it was the warmth and caring with which all of you approached the material…I will cherish for the rest of my life. The hardest thing about doing this was not trying not to laugh… it was trying not to cry at the sight of your dear faces. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
– Michael Blum, the “Man” in “PTSP.” at The Little Red Studio’s Erotic Shorts Festival in Seattle, WA
“Pass the Salt, Please.” with Stephen Trollion and Elena Maria Garcia in City Theatre’s Summer Shorts/Undershorts 2009, Miami.
“Bringing a bit of traditional theater to the Festival stage was an experiment. Jeff, you wrote a very funny script. Cher, your casting and directing choices were excellent. Michael and Heather, you did a fine job, both here and during the run at Little Red Studio.”
– Clayton Hibbert, Seattle Erotic Art Festival
“Your other plays are far and away better. This one reads like a 12-year-old’s masturbatory fantasy.”
– Maria McCann, actress and friend in California
“The show really went well! Dave and Linda were perfection…All my friend’s loved the piece and Sister Unity of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence wants a copy of the play…All in all, a great experience…a very well-written play.”
– Stephen Allen Carver, director of “Pass the Salt, Please.” at Drake’s in Los Angeles, August 2007
“Two nights of perfection. The only thing that could make the show better is if we win Best of Show”.
– Jeffrey James Ircink, writer of “Pass the Salt, Please.” and director at UNcover, March 2007. It won.
“You gotta admire someone who can do erotica without being gratuitous; it’s smart and kooky and I want to read more of your stuff.”
– Dee Rich, actress, Phoenix
“…‘Pass The Salt, Please’ was absolutely one of the best plays in UnderShorts.”
– CLJ, South Florida Theatre Scene
“We are interested in discussing your play. It might be something we would be interested in sponsoring.”
– John Ince, The Sex Party, British Columbia, Canada
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“4 1/2 Minutes (give or take) to Climax”
Three couples – an older couple, a lesbian couple and a May-December couple – attending a Christian swinger’s convention in Seattle are trapped in a janitor’s closet by a gun-wielding religious fanatic.
Short, drama (2M, 4W, 1M non-speaking)
“the Golgotha crux.”
What if a letter existed that cast doubt on the true identity of Jesus Christ? And what if the source of that letter was St. Paul, who, more than anyone, was responsible for spreading and establishing Christianity throughout the world? And what if the Vatican knew about this letter but kept the revelation secret?
Stephen Prosser is a devout Catholic and deacon, respected family therapist, and loving husband and father who has been struggling with aspects of his faith. Stephen confronts his mentor, Father Benjamin Vox, when he discovers that Father Benjamin and the Catholic Church are involved in a cover-up that, if made public, could confirm that Jesus was not the Son of God. Stephen wrestles with the moral and ethical questions raised by the cover-up. With the church seemingly confirming some of Stephen’s religious doubts with the discovery of this letter, should Stephen feel justified – confident in his questioning of Christianity? Or will this revelation somehow provide Stephen with the strength to reaffirm his faith in God? And, will Stephen tell the press what he knows? Full-length, drama (6M, 4W, 1 VO doublecast)
* Premiere stage reading at the Urban Theater Project of Iowa in May 2004.
* Finalist in the Dayton Playhouse Futurefest 2004.
* Semi-finalist in the Wagner College 2004 Stanley Drama Award competition in New York.
* Honorable Mention in the 73rd Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition/2004.
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“Stan’s Addiction”
The time is the future. The place is New York City. And Stan Ranik is the last nicotine smoker on planet Earth.
Earth of the future is a planet with an increased intolerance for cigarette smoking. The world’s governments have banned together to offer large cash bounties to individuals who quit smoking cigarettes and related products (i.e. cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, etc.). These operations are carried out exclusively by the world government-sponsored agency, SPONGE (Council for Society’s Prohibition and Obliteration of Nicotine through Growth in Efficient Living), headed up by “The Chairman”. SPONGE’s rigorous campaign to wipe out nicotine worldwide hinges on, of course, the cash bounty, but also a tiny sensor chip planted into the arm of the ex-smoker to monitor any nicotine intake. Any breach in the sensor chip security and the perpetrator must return the cash bounty – in full – and is sent to a rehab clinic where he or she is forced to kick their nicotine habit forever.
Whether it’s his buddies – ex-smokers Patrick and Stu – or The Chairman, everyone wants Stan to kick the habit. Everyone except Stan. Perhaps a private tête-à-tête with The Chairman will change the last smoker’s mind. Or will it?
Full-length, dark comedy (4M, 1W, 5 misc. roles doublecast)
* Premiere stage reading at the Urban Theater Project of Iowa in May 2005.
* Published by Heuer Publishing Co. in August 2006.
* Featured full-length play in an evening of staged readings at The Stray Dawg Theatre Company in Belfast, Ireland, April 2006.
* Reading at Manhattan Theatre Source/Bleeker Street Irregulars Theatre Company, Greenwich Village, New York City, May 2007.
* WORLD PREMIERE – College Avenue Players, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, March 7-10, 2014
“You have written a strong play with a simple, but imaginative concept…the world you have created is challenging and gripping and the characters are beautifully depicted…an engaging play with a captivating premise.” – Jessica Corn, Trinity Repertory Company, Providence, RI
“It’s very funny, the dialogue has a great natural feel and good pace. I enjoyed reading it.” – Jenny Larson, Literary Manager Salvage Vanguard Theatre, Austin, TX
“Brilliant! I love the sleezy SPONGE spokeswoman concept – the temptress. Great addition…The premise is fascinating.” – Geri Albrecht, Editor-in-Chief/Heuer Publishing
“I love ‘Stan’s Addiction’. The characters are interesting and funny, the humor is smart, the dialogue is rhythmic and engaging, and the subject matter is immediately relevant without dating itself out of future productions…What’s more, by treating the issue with humor, he is inviting the audience to participate in the debate in a non-threatening and terrifically accessible way.” – Leslie Charipar, Artistic Director/Urban Theater Project of Iowa
“The smoking thing is very topical at the minute…There’s a real Big Brother aspect to it.” – Sean Paul O’Rawe, director/Stray Dawg Theatre, Belfast, Ireland
For copies of this play and royalty information, contact HEUER PUBLISHING CO.
“Chromosome 21”
Joshua has Down Syndrome (DS) and lives at home with his mother, Doris. Compared to others with DS, Joshua functions at a level somewhere in the mid-range as it relates to his verbal, social and cognitive skills. He works at Wal~Mart, volunteers at the local recreation center, and loves to sing and play the guitar – a passion he acquired from his father, Roger, a jazz guitarist, who abandoned the family when Joshua was 10 and has not been seen or heard since. Living a life compounded with DS presents a unique set of circumstances for Joshua. Not unlike most children, Joshua confides in a make-believe friend, “Del Rey”, a hefty, black, street musician. Del Rey mentors and advises Joshua on music and life, while providing an unconditional ear for Joshua to vent to.
Joshua’s older brother, Eric, is devoted to Joshua. Having taken a year off his senior year in college to help at home after his father left, Eric’s resentment toward his father’s abrupt departure is deep-seated, though he hides his hatred by immersing himself in his work.
As Joshua’s 21th birthday nears, Doris decides to throw a surprise party – and invites Joshua’s father, Roger. What ensues is a birthday party unlike any birthday you’ve ever attended…and Joshua Cinrik is about to celebrate his 21st birthday on his terms – warts and all.
Full-length, drama (4M, 1W)
NEW! Emerging Playwright’s Reading Series, BITE Theatre, Spring 2011
“I read the play on a jet to Kansas City and loved it. I think DS is represented very well.” – Gail Williamson, President, Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles.
“…very engaging, and the way you handle the interactions between people with mental handicaps and those around them was quite intriguing…” – Timothy O’Neal, Westport Playhouse, Connecticut.
“Outstanding.” – Ed Hale, personal friend in Wisconsin whose son has Down Syndrome.
Bumbershoot - The Plays of Jeffrey James Ircink 