Guilty Pleasures

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Maureen Janson Heintz

A person in a rabbit suit reclines on a couch.

Jess Schuknecht in a play for the 2024 Forward Theater Company monologue festival.

This year’s theme for Forward Theater’s biennial monologue festival is “guilty pleasures,” and that’s a fertile field — who doesn’t indulge in a few of these? This evening of performances features a dozen original works, mostly from monologuists in and around Madison, but also with performers as far flung as Glendale, California, and New York City. We have high hopes for “Filet O Fish” by Lucy Wang (a particular guilty pleasure of our own) and “F Words” by J.M. Louis — the “f” in question presumably neither fish nor filet. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. on May 8-9 and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. on May 10.

media release: Announcing the slate for Guilty Pleasures...

Our 8th biennial monologue festival is still a few months away, but we're excited to announce that all of the selections have been made! Congratulations to all of the amazing writers that submitted from across the country.

Guilty Pleasures offers a sanctuary for the secret indulgences we dare not admit. This festival of 12 original works promises a delightful journey through the joys, embarrassments, and sweet reliefs that come from embracing our most private delights.

The festival runs May 8-10 at Overture Center.

The monologues. (in no particular order)

Car Seat Celebrity by Rachel Zake, Pepper Pike, Ohio

Directed by Jill Anna Ponasik, Performed by Karen Estrada

A mom in the driver’s seat shapeshifts into the greatest pop stars of all time. 

Confessions of a Sneaker Head by Opal Ellyse Tomashevska, Verona, Wisconsin

Directed by Sheri Williams Pannell, Performed by Opal Ellyse Tomashevska

A consumer revels in the art of the sneaker and the glory of collecting. 

Daydream Damsel by Jamie Custer, Madison, Wisconsin

Directed by Shannon Heibler, Performed by Jessica Jane Witham

A woman in dire peril calls out her rescuer. 

F Words by J.M. Louis, Oregon, Wisconsin

Directed by Emily Glick, Performed by Kelsey Anne Johnson

An interviewee throws down her list of guilty pleasures...but she’s got some words for us on that note. 

Filet O Fish by Lucy Wang, Los Angeles, California

Directed by Sean Langenecker, Performed by Nick Kaprelian

A fan of a very well-known fast-food entree sings its praises and its culinary constancy. 

Grandma the Goblin Queen by Marcia Jablonski, Mineral Point, Wisconsin

Directed by Meghan Randolph, Performed by Quanda Johnson

A grandmother trains hard to take on her greatest challenger: her grandson. 

Her Guiding Light by Karen Saari, Madison, Wisconsin

Directed by Maureen Janson, Performed by Tamara Brognano

A fan of Guiding Light reflects that soap operas aren’t just for romance. 

If There’s One Thing In My Life That’s Missing, by Karl Curtis, Verona, Wisconsin

Directed by Ali Mansouri, Performed by Ken Miller

A traveler indulges in a secret getaway.  

Lost by Sophie Bohr, New York, New York

Directed by Roseann Sheridan, Performed by Caroline Hansen

A young woman searches for a lost dog, but she’s got something else on her agenda. 

Off the Back by Jonathan West, New York, New York

Directed by Orion Risk, Performed by William Bolz

An errand runner turns a trip to the tailor’s into a chance to show off a new skill. 

Safety Guaranteed by Matthew Fay, Brooklyn, New York

Directed by Jess Schuknecht, Performed by Anthony Leonard

A car dealership employee knows it’s the old cars that have the stories. 

Thou Shalt Not by Judith Strang-Waldau, E. Greenwich, Rhode Island

Directed by Jake Penner, Performed by Carrie Sweet

A family woman escapes to another town to indulge in one thing her family doesn’t touch.