John Mabey - A New Newer Normal

FULL-LENGTH PLAY
Comedy

What's normal after 2020? And what comes after the 'new normal?' These characters are desperately trying to find out. But with big secrets, hidden identity, and chaos on the high seas, life after 2020 has never been so abnormally fun.

Fully vaxed and now ready to face the world, Ruth is having a garage sale to raise money for a cruise with her husband, Denny. But Denny has come to enjoy life sheltering at home and away from people, barring a playfully acrimonious relationship with live-in mother-in-law, Beverly. As their two grown children unexpectedly come home with a jailhouse boyfriend, the entire family
must decide what matters most as they grow - together or apart.

TIME
This play joyfully explores that period of cautious reemergence
during late 2021 / early 2022

ACT I
Family Room

ACT II
Cruise Ship Lounge

CHARACTER INFORMATION

Ruth- Female, 60s, Any race / ethnicity

Denny - Male, 60s, Any race / ethnicity

Beverly - Female, 80s, Any race / ethnicity

Kenneth - Male, 30s, Any race / ethnicity

Jules - Female, 20s, Any race / ethnicity

Alfie - Male, 30s, Any race / ethnicity

THEMES

Moving On, Dating & Marriage, Travel

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

WINNER, NEW PLAY COMPETITION
Main Street Players, FL - 2023

SEMI-FINALIST
American Association Of Community Theatre, AACT - 2023

SEMI-FINALIST
B Street Theatre, CA - 2023

SEMI-FINALIST
Alleyway Theatre, Maxim Mazumdar New Play Award, NY - 2024

REVIEWS & RECOMMENDATIONS

“Adulthood is very depressing, that's how you know you're doing it right." This well-crafted comedy is as thought provoking as it is clever, with some truly funny physical gags as well. There are riffs on responsibility and life-and-love-avoidance as well as nerve-touching discoveries and aftershocks as the characters learn to do less emotional distancing and crowd in for a close-up, new-fashioned happy ending. Lots of fun.”
(Christine Foster)

“The thing that instantly struck me from the very beginning of this piece was the wonderful imagery John creates as his characters remember times gone by. That, coupled with the lovely familial back and forth between these great characters and I couldn't help but smile as I travelled with this delightful collection of characters through their discussions, secrets and complexities of family life. John exhibits a wonderful insight into the nature of people and their relationships, making this a wonderfully natural and yet fascinating play!”
(Rachel Feeny-Williams)

“Knowing what you should do and will do are two different things.” We all experienced this during Lockdown. Mabey takes this a step further. What will we choose after Covid? It makes you ponder if you would have made different choices if there was no Covid. Mabey wisely centers on life choices - considering the old normal and new normal. With humor and poignancy, the play speaks to all of us.”
(Claudia Haas)

“This is a funny and deft celebration of family connections. The set up is a riot (cue the Ugly Mug) and the execution a delight. Characters are vividly drawn and each has an engaging arc. All in all a sparkling farce!”
(Paul Donnelly)

“There are so many things to recommend about Mabey's delightful play. Part Noel Coward-y, part Neil Simon-y (you may or may not agree), Mabey's characters immediately come to life and deliver crisp, often hilarious lines - even the throwaway ones. Special mention of the character Beverly, who steals many a scene with her outrageously unlikely statements - or are they? Family and love win the day. I enjoyed this play from start to finish and it's no accident that's it already a winner of a new play competition in Miami, FL.”
(Bruce Karp)

John Mabey’s writing evokes some of my favorite television that got me through the pandemic…queer romance…all the tender emotionality that gets one misty-eyed… characters feel three dimensional and really lived-in…a tender story of finding humanity in each other.
(When The Lights Go Out - Theatre Critic: Jon Manarang)

Mabey’s play…has the stage banter of Neil Simon…the over-the-top hilarity of Noel Coward…The pace is on point and precisely right to keep the play, which requires high energy, never letting up…Mabey has a knack for comedy.
(Miami Herald, ArtBurst - Critic: Michelle F. Solomon)

More than once, a character proposes a toast in John Mabey’s sweet, smart, funny, and invigorating new play, A New Newer Normal. Well, let us present our own toast to Mabey’s comic delight of a play…combine a dash of Neil Simon, a drop of Cole Porter, a helping of Noel Coward, and mix well…Mabey’s play also reminds us that it is never too late for a fresh start in life. You would have to be a true cynic or grouch not to feel moved by Mabey’s play…irresistible one-liners and wit…endearingly sweet and features sincere sentiment. Happy tears may form in your eyes during the final scenes. Bring tissues. In A New Newer Normal, Mabey demonstrates a wry sense of humor and an impressively keen ear for how families communicate with each other. More specifically, the playwright deftly captures the irritation members of families may feel toward each other. But as Mabey depicts it, an underlying feeling of genuine love and loyalty rests beneath that annoyance…The piece, which won MSP’s new play competition in 2023, includes plenty of memorable lines. Indeed, Mabey’s writing is drily funny, lively, tight, vivid, and wise.
(Theatrical Musings - Critic: Aaron Krause)