Michael is a founder member of New Voices Playwrights Workshop and has successfully written, produced and directed many short plays in Orange and LA County over the last eight years. He currently also studies play writing at South Coast Repertory Theatre under the tutelage of Cecilia Fannon.

Currently in production.

Play Writing Course announcement

All enquiries about these plays should be emailed to Michael Buss.

[Full Length] [Short Plays] [Screen Plays] [Seasonal Monologues]

FULL LENGTH

Seeds of Doubt
The play traces the story of an evangelical pastor faced with the problems that arise when he finds he can no longer preach the doctrine of hell,  and faces the reality that his marriage has become a sham. A timely drama. Two acts. Cast of eight. Read the synopsis here

The Trials and Tribulations of Sanjay Gupta

Mailman Sanjay Gupta is about to realize his American Dream to buy his own photographic developing business complete with US Post Office counter. His wife, however, has an obsessive antipathy to germs and tips from skepticism to outright hostility when news breaks of a possible anthrax scare in a nearby postal facility. Comedy. Cast of five. Synopsis. Read full text in Acrobat format.

On This Rock
A young Catholic Priest discovers that his bishop and mentor is secretly destroying records of child abuse in the diocese. Determined to confront the problem the priest gains insights into the nature of the church that will lead to his own departure from it. Poignant, often funny - and very timely. Cast of five.  Synopsis

[Full Length] [Short Plays] [Screen Plays] [Seasonal Monologues]

SHORT ONE ACTS

Ancient Majesty* Currently in production [June 2005]

Set 7 years in the future, a marine biologist and a Naval research officer fall in love but find their careers in conflict as the United States sacrifices the environment in the interests of fighting terrorism. The casualties are the whales - and the couple themselves. Drama, 25 minutes. 1 male; 1 female. Read full text in Acrobat format.

Gate 67*
Three scenes all coincidentally at Gate 67 at three different airports. An older man and his pretty young wife keep meeting up with the same young millionaire while on vacation. Surprising developments. Comedy, 20 minutes. 2 males, 1 female.

Home for Christmas*
Ernie, a retired schoolmaster, waits for his son to arrive for Christmas dinner in a small, snow-bound town in Colorado. His wife knows the son is dead and breaks down as he obliges her to perform the annual ritual. An unexpected visitor brings about an extraordinary turnaround in the old man. A touching, humorous, tear-jerking play. 25 minutes. 2 males, 1 female.

S.A.D.*
Hospitalized with seasonally affected depression, a young man agrees to participate in a bizarre experiment to have his condition treated by an eccentric doctor who implants light receptors in his  skull. The pretty nurse becomes part of a somewhat dubious cure. Comedy, 15 minutes. 2 males, 1 female.

Ring of Truth*
A honeymoon couple are enjoying their time together on the beach - until Cliff loses his wedding ring. This  event reveals a very dark side of the Ashley's character. The arrival of a man with a metal detector offers a vague hope of finding the ring but the real solution lies in a deeper understanding of themselves. Both comical and poignant, 15 minutes. 2 male, 1 female.

Window Dressing*
This was the very first play written and produced after the 9/11 attacks. New York shop window mannequins come to life on Christmas Eve and in a scene which is a metaphor of the frailty and insecurity of life they find the only thing that really matters. Drama, 12 minutes. 1 male, 2 females.

If Truth be Told*
Michael's first Christmas play. A ribald make-believe re-construction of how Constantine, the Pope and a Roman cult high priest invented Christmas. Many a true word spoken in jest! High comedy, 15 minutes. 3 males.

Paperweight
A very dark play in which a neurotic coupon-clipping wife exacts revenge on her meticulous penny-pinching husband. The ending is shocking and bizarre. Comic-drama. 22 minutes. 1 male, 1 female.

Promises!*
Doreen really does meet Santa in August while he is planning his summer vacation - not that Santa will admit who he is. Still a  believer at the age of 28 she confronts Santa on his failure to answer her letters. She is very surprised by the way he treats her! Comedy, 11 minutes. 1 male, 1 female.

A Slight Exaggeration*
When the shrill, embarrassing mother comes to visit her son and daughter-in-law during the summer it is unclear if her sudden death in the library is murder or suicide. Invisibly back from the dead she does not cease to interfere in the lives of 'the children'. Comedy, 25 minutes. 1 male, 2 females.

The Last Act*
A washed-out comedienne performs the last act of the night on Christmas Eve to an audience of one. The old man turns out to be the father she never knew - who brings sadness and fulfillment at one and the same time. The audience will cry during this play, 18 minutes. 2 males, 1 female.

On Sundays Pretendin'*
A period Civil War play requiring costume. In this tragic love story a young Tommy Valentine from the South finds his childhood sweetheart, Louisa, from the North by entering a Yankee army camp in disguise. A colonel finds the youth kissing his wife (Louisa) and refuses to believe that he is not a spy. Very powerful and dramatic. 15 minutes. 2 males, 1 female.

The Brown Recluse*
Afraid of spiders? Betty and Dan both are leaving their apartment when they find a spider has spun its web across the front door. Betty is terrified and Dan plays on her fears. However the roles are soon reversed! Comedy, 15 minutes. 1 male, 1 female.

On the Move*
Determined to leave her husband and take the bed with her before his return Barbara calls the movers. They cannot, however, get it through the door and typical Laurel and Hardy mayhem ensues. Surprise ending.  Comedy, 22 minutes. 2 males, 1 female.

The Big Shot
A very liberal young woman makes peace with her conservative gun-owning father after many years. When he dies she fires his remains into a canyon from dad's home-made cannon. Humorous drama. 18 minutes. 1 male, 2 females.

Cardboard City
A monologue. A stop-light pan-handler tells his story. From success to the streets, this play tells a hidden story and tugs at the heart-strings. Drama, 10 minutes. 1 male.

Uneasy Lies the Head*
In this metaphorical play four Greek characters representing Sleep, Sex, Death and Life debate to whom the domain of  The Bed truly belongs! Comedy, 11 minutes. 1 male, 3 females.

A Most Unwelcome Guest
A young couple visit the man's mother to announce their engagement - only to grapple with the problem of mother's eccentric behavior. Drama, 15 minutes. 1 male, 2 females.

SCREEN PLAYS

All written and produced for Junior High School students .

Framed in New York
A girl going to meet her long lost aunt while on vacation in New York has a family photograph snatched from her by a gang. With her friends she recovers the photo, finds her aunt and a valuable surprise hidden in the back of the frame. Locations in Orange County and New York. Adventure story. Running time 45 minutes. Available on VHS.

Ballot!
It is Election Year and the President has insisted there be a Junior President for the country. Two groups of students form their parties then hit the campaign trail for the East coast - including the White House where they will meet the real president. They are opposed by a strange set of zombie-like adults who hate children. Adventure story. Running time 45 minutes. Locations in Boston, New York, Washington DC and Orange County. Available on VHS.

Knowledge is Power
A "mockumentary" for Read Across America Day in which Junior High School scientists present findings to show that babies are programmed to grow, speak and read - provided you feed them, talk to them and introduce them to books at a very early age. A  modern re-construction of the story of  librated slave Frederick Douglass shows that with determination nobody need be an economic slave on account of being unable to read. Running time 22 minutes. Available on VHS.

[Full Length] [Short Plays] [Screen Plays] [Seasonal Monologues]

SEASONAL MONOLOGUES

The Shepherd's Tale*
A shepherd guarding his sheep while overlooking Bethlehem is visited by a stranger to whom he recounts events of 30 years ago when a baby was born in the town nearby. Dramatic Christmas monologue. 20 minutes. 1 male. May be read. Requires Cockney accent. Read the text

The Innkeeper's Story*
 A Jewish innkeeper realizes he has most unusual guests in his hotel. The princely youth seems at home playing the role of servant. Dramatic monologue written in double iambic pentameters. 20 minutes. 1 male. May be read. Read the text

The Soldier's Story*
A soldier from Herod's Palace Guard comes home to tell his family he is sick of killing babies just to get an apparent infant king. A surprising twist with a powerful message. Dramatic poetic monologue. 18 minutes. 1 male. Should be read. Read the text

* Indicates the play has been fully produced at least once.

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All enquiries about these plays should be emailed to Michael Buss.