five new plays in a cycle
(for the people!*)
*really, we mean that, for a limited time you can read them for free here
You made it to FUNTIMES, an inclusive, ungovernable theater movement.
Your family and peers will be so impressed.
Believe it or not, there's much more that awaits you than simply accessing a website!
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From acclaimed artists (lol) Zach Helm, Kate Whoriskey and Richard Lech, FUNTIMES is comprised of five individual, full-length plays, all with their own plot, theme and approach, and all drawn in reflection of our current era; darkly comedic, provocative and emotional.
When connected however... the plays reveal larger character arcs, interact against one another, and ultimately create a redemptive and cathartic super-narrative.
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With five different, easily producible entry points into the world, with roles for a wide range of casts and communities between them, FunTimes intends to become its own web of connectivity; a way to energize relationships between artists and audiences worldwide. The plays are available to produce on a tiered royalty basis (starting at $1) and designed so multiple theaters of different sizes and social engagement can participate at the same time, and work to lift one another mutually.
Anyone can access the plays here, as well as learn how to produce them, and this site will soon host merchandise drops, special events, and even a forum to discuss the work and create more connections.
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You can see our teaser campaign, and find links to upcoming EVENTS on the calendar.
Audience or artist, what choice do we have anymore but to have...
FUNTIMES
stay connected to the movement
more eyeballs
more FUNTIMES
LET FUNTIMES COME TO YOU
A darkly comedic and emotional play about a young, unstable hacktivist/satirist in federal prison, trolling the DOJ from inside their investigation into his alleged large-scale government security breach. With his mother and the DOJ negotiating his options, prison politics growing dangerous, and his former hacking cohorts playing with his fate, the joking must reach its punchline before his chance at a future runs out.
[8 Characters]
COOL. DOES THIS INCLUDE ME? CAN I HAVE FUNTIMES?
Absolutely. The plays are designed for myriad communities and levels of production, and are producible on a tiered royalty basis (that begins literally at $1)
DO I HAVE TO DO ALL THE PLAYS THOUGH?
Nope. You don’t even need to read all the plays.
It’s absolutely acceptable to enjoy, produce or perform only one play, or even excerpts.
Indeed, the excerpts and plays are accessible HERE.
SO, ANYBODY CAN DO ANY OF THEM ANYWHERE, UNCONNECTED?
That’s right. In fact, you can just do excerpts and share them here. We think this actually encourages audiences to seek out other productions of the other plays. Then, when productions are connected through this site, they also create a universal hub that allows all participants to build off the success of the other productions.
HOW?
Participants at all levels are encouraged to use our specifically designed and cost-effective marketing (BELOW) and share clips of their work (HERE) along with information about their productions, to be included in the site overall thus unifying audiences at various theaters as participants of a larger theatrical event. Or, better put: MORE EYEBALLS
LOL, IS THE AUTHOR MAKING ANY MONEY FROM THIS?
Thanks, Aunt Linda. We trust that if the participation grows, everything will be fine. If you'd like to have a more direct impact on the profitability, please visit here.
ISN'T THIS VERY DIFFERENT THAN NORMAL?
Very...
...and doesn't it feel ...FUN?
It is.
Read a play, review the requirements to produce, submit a request and learn how you too can have FunTimes.
PRODUCING
If you would like to have FunTimes near you, a request may be easily made via the form here. We will respond quickly.
If your theater has less than 50 seats, or is a school/npo, the royalty per show is $1.
If your theater has less than 100 seats, the royalty per show is $5.
If your theater has less than 200 seats, the royalty per show is $15
If your theater is a LORT member, or has more than 250 seats, then, uh, you need to click here.
We ask that you incorporate our marketing, below, and then when in rehearsal, you may upload excerpted footage here and connect/promote your show through this site.
[Please be prepared to include the name of the organization, the number of seats, the number of performances, and the professional status of the organization.
And please make sure to fully read our Policies, Terms and Copyright notices.. Thank you. -Lawyer X]
MARKETING (MORE EYEBALLS)
We suggest that any theater participating in FunTImes use, in some part, our iconography: the pyramid of eyeballs.
We also suggest including the QR code that leads readers to this site, and thus other productions, perhaps the same one that brought you here.
The eyeball iconography will be doubled with the cycle’s overall merchandise, which will be provided to productions on a sliding scale, just like the royalties, with low-cost access given first to the smallest theaters.
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There will also be special collaborations, merchandise drops and limited edition events for all to participate in!
We believe that if all theaters participate in a shared phenomenology, a more universal and equitable ‘marketing’ can be used to promote the shows and its participants, in perpetuity.
This means that the largest theater and smallest theater could support one another, with two completely different plays, for completely different audiences, with everyone invited to feel as though they belong to the larger world.
More eyeballs...
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...more
You're the people, but if you'd like to hold anyone responsible, it's these people.
OUR ‘REAL GOOD FRIENDS’
From Helm's research on 21st century digital criminals, vigilantes and rebels, the plays were developed through a series of clandestine readings, workshops, and 'development' processes shepherded by Whoriskey and Lech. The following are the artists and support team who helped develop the pieces, many of them working on multiple pieces over many years. They are all real, all good, and all friends:
Sabra Williams
Reynaldo Piniella
Danielle Davenport
Johanna Pfaelzer
Lawyer X
Noah Robbins
Caroline Uy
Brenda Helm
Chris Burney
Captain Slaplastic
Nichole Daniels
Mylinda Hull
Liz Carlson (New York Stage & Film)
Leslie Urdang
Jon Tenney
Nana Mensah
Constance Shulman
Adriane Lenox
Michelle Featherstone/PPLRS
Justin Brossier
and Steve (based on a real dude)