Welcome to my website, where I'd like to introduce you to vibrant, exciting, intelligent, touching, and funny new plays and musicals. Here you'll find links to my work currently in production, soon to be produced, or published and waiting for your theater to bring it to life.
The Maternal Instinct published on Indie Theatre Now!
Monica's play The Maternal Instinct is now available to read online at Indie Theatre Now, the new "iTunes of Plays"!
Reading of Porter's Will
The Naked Stage will have a FREE reading of Monica's new play Porter's Will, October 16th, 2012!
Monica's Edinburgh Fringe Journal for Huffington Post!
Check out this great review for Made for Each Other, written by theatre critic David Roberts!
"Monica Bauer's Made for Each Other is a charming and challenging performance piece brought to life with skillful grace by John Fico at 59E59ths "East to Edinburgh" Festival. Transcending the themes of most gay theatre (and those themes are important), Made for Each Other is a multi-layered piece which challenges all audience members with universal and powerful themes."
Two more chances to see it in New York before it heads to Scotland! Click below for more info and tickets: only $18!! http://59e59.org/moreinfo.php?showid=84
Made for Each Other announced as part of the East to Edinburgh Festival!
Before travelling to Scotland, MADE FOR EACH OTHER travels Off Broadway to 59E59 Theater's East to Edinburgh Festival! Four performances only: July 13 @ 9pm, 15th @ 7pm, 18th @ 7pm, and 27th @ 9pm
On to the next adventure: Made For Each Other goes first to the East to Edinburgh Festival Off Broadway at 59E59th Street theater in July, then off to the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland, where John Fico will perform it in Bar 50 as part of the Laughing Horse Free Fringe. We are currently in the middle of a fundraising drive; we have enough money to get to Scotland, but not enough money to come back! Help playwright Monica and actor John Fico get back to the USA by donating at their Indiegogo site.
Thanks to Urban Stages for their lovely production of My Occasion of Sin! The year is 1969. The place, a segregated city in the Midwest. Around town, rhythms are changing- from Polka to Rock, from Gospel to Soul, and then, with the arrival of a charismatic African American drummer, to Jazz! Mary Margaret Irzandowsky and Vivian Strong, teenagers from opposite sides of town, vow to drink in the jazz scene for their own private reasons. Music seems to unite and uplift everyone around, despite creed or color... that is, for a little while. Sounds of a coming riot soon grow louder than beats on a drum, and "occasions of sin"- where fear, mistrust, and racism fester- are inescapable. Two young girls will be changed forever. Inspired by real events. (click to see images bigger)
My Occasion of Sin received a workshop production at Omaha's Shelterbelt Theatre last April. Read a great review of that production HERE! That production won two of Omaha's Theatre Arts Guild Awards (one for outstanding script), and is currently nominated for an Omaha Arts and Entertainment Award (in the Best New Script category). The play was also was a finalist for The Abingdon Theatre's (NYC) Christopher Brian Wolk Award in 2011.
Urban Stages presented its Emerging Playwright Award to Monica Bauer on March 21st. The award comes with a commendation and a cash prize.
Following a fantastic workshop run of My Occasion of Sin at the Shelterbelt Theater (April 15-May 8, 2011) the show has won two Theater Arts Guilds awards!
Best New Script
Best Youth Performance (Bailey Newman as Mary Margaret Irzandowsky)
My Occasion of Sin wins in both categories it was nominated for, in the 2011 Theatre Arts Guild Awards. The TAG awards are presented each year honoring theater produced in Omaha, Nebraska. From the Guild Website: "With over 35 theatre and production companies in the metro area and with more than 250 productions mounted each season, the TAG Awards allow lovers of the live theatre art form to salute the artists who give so much of themselves in entertaining us throughout the season. And for the artists themselves, recognition by peers and theatre lovers alike is a treasured honor."
Author News. . .
Monica attended the Sewanee Writer's Conference July 26 through August 7th with Pulitzer Prize winner Beth Henley!
Latest Productions. . .
My Occasion of Sin
A great evening was had on Monday, July 11th, as Penguin Rep Theater, a professional theater in Rockland County, New York, called "the gutsiest little theater" by the New York Times, produced a staged reading of My Occasion of Sin as part of their Play With Your Food Series.
My Occasion of Sin was featured as part of the Hamptons Independent Theatre Festival, February 19 & 20. More info HERE!
Women With Balls!
Staged readings of short plays written by women, about men! Including 9-11 plays, men vrs. women, and men vrs. men!
"Made for Each Other" has been nominated for TWO AWARDS by the PLANET CONNECTIONS THEATRE FESTIVITY : Outstanding production of a Solo Show and John Fico as Outstanding Actor in a Solo Show!
"Answering" has been named a finalist for the Heideman Award given by the Humana Festival for New Plays at the Actors Theater of Louisville. The most prestigious award given for new American ten-minute plays, the 2008 competition received over 1,300 entries from playwrights all over the United States.
The Higher Education of Khalid Amir written by Monica Bauer
directed by Craig J. George
WINNER OF OUTSTANDING PLAYWRITING FOR A NEW SCRIPT OR BOOK!
Also nominated for four other Midtown International Theatre Festival awards including:
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play: Amir Darvish
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play: Amanda Duarte
Outstanding Costume Design: Irma Escobar
Outstanding Production of a New Comedy: The Higher Education of Khalid Amir