Broken Arts Entertainment Other Projects
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Joe Swenson
Joe is an emerging playwright and member of the Dramatist Guild. He has found a voice and a way to tell stories that captivates audiences all over. Primarily his shows focus on the human experience through dramatic/traumatic moments. …
Right as Rain
Hank Saddlestrom and Buster Drinkwater have been fishing from the same dock every Sunday for forty-six years and this Sunday starts off no differently than any other Sunday. Hank drives the conversation as he is wanting to take a trip down memory lane as he talks about how he met his wife, an awful haircut Buster had, and more. Alas, Hank is setting all of this up to let Buster know that things are going to change going forward.
The humor captures the audiences attention, but something just doesn’t feel right here.
Running Time: 8-12 minutes (depending on direction)
Eleven and One Short Play Festival (Original selection)
Cold Comfort Short Play Theater Festival (Original selection)
At The Table/Charging Moose Media Podcast
Broken Arts Entertainment Film Production (click below)
Scraps
Scraps is a story about a family that befriends a service dog and how that dog healed them in some way or another. However, there is a mystery surrounding Scraps. He’s a well fed dog, who receives most of his nutrition from being fed under the table and all four family members are required to contribute. The father who is a veteran and has PTSD, the mother who lacks self esteem and self-worth, the teenage daughter who is depressed and has anxiety, and the teenage son who has Asperger. There’s something wrong though and you’ll be surprised as the mystery is unraveled.
Run Time: 9 minutes
Winner Best Play Crowbait February 2019
King of the Crows entrant 2020
Justin Thyme
CIA agent Justin Thyme is running late for an important flight and is held up by a TSA agent who isn’t in a hurry. The hilarity is a non-stop, round trip adventure, as this short one act takes you on a ride that harkens back to times of wordplay, adventure, and well just plain ole’ silliness.
If you’re in the mood for mindless laughing, hi-jinx, and clever dialogue disguised as trying to get through TSA then this award winning play is the right one for you as you meet CIA Agent Justin Thyme, Joe King, and Isabella Ringing. Sit back and enjoy.
Running Time: 10 minutes
Winner Best Play Crowbait March 2020
King of the Crows entrant 2021
The Door
The Door is a 10 minute short play, mystery that centers around what is beyond the door. A group of ghosts that have lived in this residential doctor’s office for centuries have just welcomed their newest member, Sarah. Sarah has been tragically lost at a young age to an indeterminate disease. She possibly leaves behind a husband and two children who she must go see. Others have passed on within the confines of the hospital, but have feared what is on the other side of the door.
Under the Bed
Under The Bed is a short play that centers around the surprising effect of poor choices and how even those that don’t want to be part of that world can be touched by the ripple effects of those choices. Under The Bed picks up in dorm life at a non-disclosed university. Not everyone is about the party life and two roommates couldn’t be further from the opposite ends of that spectrum. Not a comedy about dorm life or a farce in anyway. This play takes a serious and somewhat callous look at dorm life and the culture that could get kids into trouble very quickly.
Run Time: 10 minutes
Arbeit Macht Frie 1944
Inspired by a letter written during the holocaust. A Jewish Czech family believes that they are in the clear after the Red Cross visits and inspects the Czech holding area at Auschwitz. The Red Cross gives it a passing grade, but all is not really clear as a cattle call is made for all kids who lack functionality or are too young to contribute. This is the story of one mother’s sacrifice to comfort her son as he is taken off by train to the gas chamber. Her last effort is to write a letter to her husband and youngest son who survive. It’s a heart wrenching story of love and compassion.
Run Time: 10-12 minutes
Bosnia 1995
Three Marines get separated from their unit in the Bosnian hills outside Sarajevo. It was only supposed to be two of them, but their squad leader catches up and gets lost with them. Being lost is metaphorical for how Lance Corporal Keller feels in this world. In the throes of the “Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell” era of the military, this story picks up as three Marines come to grips with the reality of gays in the military, assumptions, and retaliation. It’s a thriller inspired by true events.
Runtime: 20 minutes
Accumulation
Paul, is faced with being recently divorced, significantly injured on work property, losing his position at work as a result of time away to mend, surmounting debt, and maintenance of a new romantic relationship. Paul has made a decision, an ultimate decision that would leave so many in his life wondering why. As a collective, no one knows what Paul is up against, but Paul does. The culminating point-of-no-return decision finds a resolution that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Paul is writing his suicide note. His only line in the entire 10 minute show is, “I’m not the accumulation of the mistakes of made. I’ve had some bad luck and I’ve lost who I wanted to be and have become a burden to everyone.” It’s a testimony to the hidden nature with which suicide creeps in as a possible solution or resolution. The play clearly demonstrates that based on recent interactions, the people that have been closest to him, don’t know the total sum of what he’s going through and are only limited to their perception.
Runtime: 10 minutes
Steps
Kayce and Morgan are just getting started in life and in everything they are doing and both come from a damaged world where it’s not okay to love, it’s not okay to express emotions. Reluctantly and vulnerably it’s just these two on the stage, either walking towards each other or walking away from each other in a tug-of-war of tension that reaches a reasonable end and will leave the audience refreshed. One of my favorite lines I’ve written; “I can feel you breath.” is in this show.
Run time: 7 minutes.
Morning Brew
Steve is a motivational speaker on a stroll in downtown Portland Maine along the water front. Marti is a writer who is sitting on a bench by the ferry terminal. She has occupied the sunniest portion of the downtown sitting area. But something is different about this typical stroll as Steve is strangely drawn to Marti despite her displeasure in his presence initially. After a quick conversation, Marti changes her focus from writing to her new acquaintance and what happens next is magical, perhaps enchanting, and changes everything.
Run Time: 10 minutes
The Mirror
What do you see in the mirror? Is it what you want to see, or are you too logical for that? In this short play, we explore this subject through the lives a business person, a transient, and a teenager as they try to figure out what it is they are supposed to look for when seeing their reflection in the mirror. This mirror though is unique and reflects more than their image.
Runtime: 15 minutes
The Dearest Love
A young person discovers an old ammo box in the attic of their grand parents house. Facing their own demons, they learn the story of they great grandparents, World War I, suicide, and how sometimes being depressed has more to do than just being a feeling, that perhaps there is some genetics behind. The story is told through letters in the ammo box that are acted out by the two great grandparents specific to their time. A heartbreaking love story in the end, but also a realization for the young person.
Runtime 10-12 minutes
Through the Glass
A four scene short play that explores apologies, asking for forgiveness, and maintaining a relationship with a parent in prison. Michael Alexander is sentenced to prison for 20 years for vehicular manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The sentence is increased for many reasons. Yet his kids continue to visit him and he continues to write them. This play explores the harsh realities of prison life, how hard it is to maintain relationships without help on the outside, and ultimately growing up.
Runtime 20 minutes
The Lane Breakers
Four adults have a strong desire to change the lanes of life they’ve been required to travel down by those that surround them. An abused woman, a religious gay man, a corporate woman who doesn’t play by the good ole’ boys rules, and a homeless man all work towards removing stigmas, prejudices, bias, and against a network that is designed to keep people of their kind in their lanes. This story is written in the spoken word/slam poem genre.
Runtime 8-10 minutes
A Complex God
Free Will, what is it? How does it work? Is the thing that God gave us the reason that we are drifting away from faith? Or, is it was is making us more in his likeness. This abstract 10 minute play explores this in a uniqueness that will have you questioning whether we are drifting away or towards what God wants.
Run Time: 10 Minutes
The Date
Situational comedy regarding special agents, double agents, spies, and one random person who never gets involved. Starts off a blind date, but turns out that one of the people has a high valued precious material in their possession. Will this material get into the right hands, whose hands are the right hands? Quickly paced, complete with one person that just sits there (mostly).
Runtime: 10 minutes
The Brink
Steven is a Real Estate agent who is on the brink of disaster and financial windfall as he tries to land the recently widowed Barbara Gillingham as a client as she looks to downsize, sell her current property, and purchase new property. Everything seems to be in order, until Steven’s wife and sister get involved in trying to expedite the process and wind up either losing it all or costing someone their life.
Runtime: 15 minutes
Breaking the Legs
You’ve heard of Break a Leg, right? It means good luck in the theater world. But is that truly what it means. We explore the origin of the meaning as this piece unfolds. You are transported to 1930, New York City, The Majestic. Auditions for a new play called Artists and Models. This historical fiction takes place at a time when the world needed hope, the Great Depression had just started and while the origin of the phrase Break a Leg is somewhat ambiguous, this play proves that it is indeed something else entirely. Hope.
Runtime: 9 minutes
WE ARE THE BROKEN PEOPLE
WE ARE THE BROKEN PEOPLE is a show that incorporates many genres of performance art into one very interesting 30 minute ride. There are elements of Spoken Word Poetry or Slam Poetry, well choreographed scene transitions and manifestations, music, stage combat, slow motion animation, etc. The direction of the show is slow to reveal itself, but you soon find that every aspect is part of the purpose of the show. The purpose? To shine a light on a portion of the population that normal people would consider to be broken, and that thanks to their brokenness, that not only do they have to heal their broken parts, but also to demonstrate and embrace the superpowers that lie beneath waiting for the right time to show them.
Run Time: 27 minutes
Performed Port Fringe 2015
The show is an adaptation of the Slam Poem, We Are the Broken People also written by Joe Swenson.
Schemes
Network Marketing is the current play writing project by Joe Swenson. The story follows the Kendricks, Jarod and Marti who are in a financially desperate situation. Marti turns to network marketing as a possible solution to the problem, only to find that their financial situation continues to suffer and not improve. This show has been submitted to the Cold Comfort Theater One Act festival, stay tuned for more information.
Run Time: 25 minutes
Prized Possessions
Prized Possession is the 2nd show for MWOA/Broken Arts Productions. The show is geared to make you think about alternative ideals on homelessness. It also brings to the forefront concerns of mental health, importance of communication, and what freedom and being without walls can represent.
Unique to this theatrical experience is that a fully produced version of this show will include video mixed in with the live theater. While the concept isn’t completely new, the idea of using video as the backdrop should be especially impactful!
Run Time: 49 minutes
Work with us
At the heart of our production company lies an unwavering enthusiasm for original and groundbreaking narratives. Broken Arts Entertainment is always eager to explore fresh perspectives and unique tales that resonate with today’s audiences. If you have an original work primed for dramatic performance, we would be thrilled to consider it for our lineup. We believe in nurturing and giving a platform to innovative voices, so if you’re passionate about your script and think it aligns with our vision, don’t hesitate to reach out. For more details or to submit your script, please contact us. Let’s embark on a creative journey together!