←Recommendations of Alabaster

"Alabaster" is that one-in-a-thousand play that works both as a bittersweet comedy that's full of surprises and as a heart wrenching testament to what it means to be alive in an age of uncertainty. The characters are wonderfully unique and their dialogue is snappy and illuminating. Besides, how many plays have goats that comment on the action in them? I wholeheartedly recommend Audrey's incredible play to anyone searching for a work brimming with humanity.

It's not always easy to predict how a play will connect to you, how it will affect you. We talk so much about "relevancy" these days but often lose sight of the fact that relevance isn't just about current events or topical themes--it's also about what it does inside the hearts of the audience and the bond it creates with you and the stage.

Well-written characters, no matter the situation, open up these passages of human understanding, of connection. This play did that for me and more. It's a tremendous gift to my heart.

Sometimes a piece just glues you to your chair, makes you laugh, rips your heart out, and when it's done you want to hold the people you love tightly and not let go. Sometimes life is hard, sometimes it's nearly impossible, but we can get through it together...sometimes with a talking goat... and sometimes you get the opportunity to work on a piece that's so beautifully crafted you're impatient for the next several months to go by so you can get to the rehearsal room!

Saw the reading of this poignant and funny play at the NNPN showcase in December. Audrey is a rare find in contemporary theatre -- a genuine Southern regionalist on stage, who writes with deep emotion about matters of the heart. In all of her work, her characters are rich and engaging, but in 'Alabaster' she's truly hit her stride.

At the heart of this funny, sexy, warm and poignant story is the transformation required to heal, the ways that art and love both teach us to turn our memories into something portable, so that we can survive letting go. ALABASTER lays this out with wit, style and a talking goat. I cannot wait for the chance to work on this beautiful piece.

I saw the NNPN Showcase reading of this play. It ripped my heart out and lifted me up and I am obsessed. This is the kind of heart-full work we need.

This play.... oh man. It is just so so good. I attended a reading of it and was unbelievably taken by its humor, heart, and humanity. This is a stunning play about art, vulnerability, and taking that first step toward healing wounds that seem as if they were destined to remain with us forever.

Such a gorgeous, gorgeous play! Audrey has full command of both the pain and joy of living and the language to express it through exquisitely wrought characters. Bravo!!

Scars of life. A talking goat! YES!!! This is theater at its best. Alice and June are wonderful, complicated humans. June is harsh and hilarious. Full of faults but they keep trying even as they push each other away. The story builds beautifully and was so incredibly moving. We need this hope: to see perseverance (and not the cheezy kind that makes one want to vomit), but awful and hard perseverance. The kind of hope one doesn't take pride in but hides in. Beautiful and theatrical. Women lifting up other women but not sentimental at all.

This writer is on fire. Just read THE GULF and ALABASTER and highly recommend them both. She brings the heat and hunger of passion on-stage in new, exciting ways. She beautifully balances the pathos and humor of the relationships so that you are engaged and moved, and left satisfied by the end.