Materials to Prepare
Fall semester auditions for Simon Stephens's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time have arrived, and the creative team is excited to assemble a cast. When it comes to Jason Tempest's audition, however, artistic opinions take a backseat to the ethics of authentic casting.
A short play about who can and can't (or should and shouldn't) tell stories.
"A challenging and engaging piece. Tibbetts raises some very good questions in terms of theater and representation and doesn't provide pat, easy answers, which I felt was authentic. [...] A play that will provoke a lot of conversation, I think, which is admirable."
— Brent Alles, New Play Exchange
"Materials to Prepare should be a necessary read for anyone who sits behind a director's table. Raising incredibly relevant points about visibility and representation in theatre, this play asks important questions about why we tell stories and how we should tell them... Noah Tibbetts has created a play that leaves you with questions about the responsibilities we as artists have when creating theatre."
— Maggie Smith, New Play Exchange
"Like any good actor, playwright Noah Tibbetts makes bold choices. Materials to Prepare is a play with a lot to say that shows that silence speaks volumes, and speaking up sometimes still leaves you wanting for an ear. I admire the way that this play wrote its conflicting viewpoints not as straw-men, but as people with understandable worldviews (though not all of them win our respect). An excellently truthful one-act play."
— Sam Heyman, New Play Exchange
"The urgency of representation comes to the fore in this biting and theatrically vibrant play... The horror of the phrase 'autistic enough' will resonate for me for a long time to come."
— Paul Donnelly, New Play Exchange
"[...] This play is an important conversation told thoughtfully and an excellent gateway for discussion on theatre's purpose in the modern world, where conscious casting is more paramount than ever before."
— Daniel Prillaman, New Play Exchange
Bridge
On a bridge above a river, a man meets a girl and a girl meets a man. Each has a story of why they are there. And even though they don't know it at first, they will save each other.
A short play about people chewing on the hard things in life.
"Chance encounters, or maybe not so left to chance... Sometimes we may find ourselves at these crossroads, staring into the abyss, and one wonders, will there be someone there for us at those times? This play examines this in a thoughtful and moving manner."
— Brent Alles, New Play Exchange
"Noah walks a very fine line with Bridge, exploring the heavy topic of mental health with grace and expertise. His choice to examine the isolation that comes with severe mental health struggles while finding connection at the same time made me pause was a moving one, leaving me to recollect on the hard emotions that come not only with needing and receiving help, but with being the one giving it, as well. Bridge serves as a reminder of the little things we can do to help each other, even if it just means listening."
— Maggie Smith, New Play Exchange
"In Bridge, Noah Tibbetts sensitively explores the devastating impact of mental health struggles and suicidal thoughts. The play captures the tumultuous emotional states of its characters while offering a glimmer of hope amidst despair... a poignant reminder that even in the darkest times, there can be moments of understanding and compassion."
— James Perry, New Play Exchange
"[...] Tibbetts does a beautiful job of handing some very touchy and heavy topics with grace and leaves room for the audience to make their own opinions on the events the characters go through. A very powerful play that I would love to see performed one day."
— Ryan Vaughan, New Play Exchange
Dolls
The Maiden Aunt spends her days alone, rocking in a chair on her porch, staring into the cane fields of Puerto Rico. Then Nora appears—and it's clear she isn't from around here.
A short play about carnivores, the inconsequential nature of shellfish, and the inherited expectations of women.
"Thunderous, thought-provoking, and rich in language and imagery, Tibbetts' short play is a magic collision of women wronged. Whether you're familiar with the source material or no, this two-hander scene fearlessly poses questions around feminism, autonomy, selfishness, loss, and more. This is damn good character work, and it would be tremendous to see in production."
— Daniel Prillaman, New Play Exchange