John Mabey - True Skies

SHORT PLAY
Dramedy

A married couple unites against their worst crisis and divides on how to break through.

But sometimes fantasy is the perfect reality for change.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

Gina - Female, age 20s and older

Keith - Male, age 20s and older

THEMES

Marriage, Grief, Preparing for death

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

SMITH & KRAUS BEST WOMEN'S MONOLOGUES
Publication Anthology - 2024

REVIEWS & RECOMMENDATIONS

“Mabey here does more in ten minutes than many playwrights do in a long one act with two characters. Taking the topics of death, afterlife, and griefs and exploring them through a married couple's dilemma and disagreement is surprisingly not dark. The emotions throughout, their regrets and questions reveal a truly felt intimacy and loving relationship that is BEAUTIFUL.”
(Asher Wyndham)

“JOHN MABEY’s short play captured my heart. It’s so sweet and sentimental. “True Skies” has a rhythm of dialogue one might expect from a loving married couple, who know each other very well. They are faced with the awful truth of one of them dying. With love and understanding, each tries to comfort the other. I loved the unique gift and what it represented. I loved the respect for each other’s different religious views. I just LOVED this short play! Bravo!”
(Jack Levine)

“All relationships end one way or another, that's the awful truth, and Mabey's Incredibly powerful play wrestles with this reality with beauty, love, and fantasy. Keith and Gina are united, and we are united in rooting for them. Go, Love! Go, True Skies! Go, Mabey!”
(Lucy Wang)

“How does one discuss a crisis that is too hard to bear? John Mabey, in TRUE SKIES, introduces us to such a crisis. Using fantasy, we learn more about this married couple than you can imagine on your own -- And they finally talk in a parallel universe. Death and grief and their shared love is Mabey's fodder. It will make you hang on to every word. An intimate look at a couple in crisis. As always by Mabey, beautifully written.”
(D. Lee Miller)

“Have you ever read something and known, deep in your heart, that these people, wherever they exist in multiverse, are clearly and truly in love? You see their banter and you can feel them stirring in bed as an alarm goes off, groggy and bathed in early morning sun beams, tangled together, a little sweaty and gross. And they kiss each other. And so the days go. And so the hard times come. And the sadness and unfairness of their lives becomes all the more real for it. Sadder. Harder. And yet their love touches you. If not, read this.”
(Jarred Corona)

“Surviving grief takes as much humor and imagination as it does pain. In True Skies, we meet a couple standing on the precipice of a tremendous loss. Their love makes it possible for them to confront and accept the future with something like joy. The piece is full of gorgeous and metaphorically resonant imagery that makes the world feel incredibly rich and tangible. The specificity of the characters makes them so very human, which might be the key to this play's emotional power. The play comes full circle in a satisfying, hopeful, and genuinely moving way.”
(Aly Kantor)

“What I like about this play is that the playwright doesn't have the characters immediately share their feelings. The subject is difficult, and we feel that every step of the way. They feel very real, and they touch upon our emotions as we watch them try to make sense of what their future will be, even though they're about to take very different paths. A powerful piece.”
(Ross Tedford Kendall)

“Writing a play about grief that doesn't shy away from the pain and yet is full of hope is no small feat, but John makes it look easy in True Skies. The play, about a fate rightly described by one character as violent, somehow is told with a gentle charm and optimism in the face of the worst personal disaster. We should all be so brave, and this play will make you believe it's possible.”
(James McLindon)

“TRUE SKIES is a deeply moving piece about hope and grief and love and frustration. John Mabey is a beautifully brilliant playwright, and this play exemplifies their immense talent.”
(David Lipschutz)

“This piece is simultaneously heartbreaking and hopeful, humorous and heavy. A wonderful feat of tonal balance! A remarkable play!”
(Evan Baughfman)

READINGS & WORKSHOPS

The Barrow Group, NYC - 2021

Naked Angels, NYC - 2021

Dragon Productions Theatre Company, CA - 2022

Mid-America Theatre Conference, OH - 2022

The Barrow Group, First Fridays Festival, NYC - 2022

Association For Theatre In Higher Education, TX - 2023

IMAGES

The Barrow Group NYC

Naked Angels NYC

The Barrow Group NYC

Dragon Productions Theatre Company

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