Susan Rowan MastersAuthor and Playwright
Full-length plays
The Secret Life of Hubie Hartzel
Winner of The Growing Stage: The Children's Theatre of New Jersey 2013 New Play-Reading Festival. The play, an adaptation of Masters' novel of the same name, received a fully mounted production (Feb. 7 - March 2, 2014) as part of their 2013/14 Main Stage season.
THE SECRET LIFE OF HUBIE HARTZEL is about the perils of life in middle school. Humor is one of the themes that help lighten this light comedy entertainment for all ages as Hubie deals with his problems. He's failing school, he's stuck with an impossible older sister, his beloved family cat is sick and he's the target of Ralph Marruci, class bully. But he has an escape - daydreaming. He imagines himself a prizefighter, and draws caricatures in class of his teachers, family, and friends. Everyone, that is, but the new art teacher who he has a crush on. Unfortunately, Hubie's attempts at coping with life backfire and he winds up in more trouble than before. When the perfect plan for revenge on Marruci blows up in his face, Hubie finds the courage to stand up to the bully and do the right thing.
Review:
To order the script from Heuer Publishing: https://www.hitplays.com/default.aspx?pg=sd&st=SECRET+LIFE+OF+HUBIE+HARTZEL&p=12121.
One act plays
Talk Turkey
TALK TURKEY is a finalist for the 2018 Downtown Urban Arts Festival-Theater Series (DUAF) in New York City.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Theater-At-DUAF-Announces-2018-Finalists-for-16th-Season-20171031
In this lighthearted romp, newlywed Daisy is putting on her first Thanksgiving dinner for the in-laws when things go topsy-turvy. The pumpkin pie goes missing. It's anyone's guess how the turkey ends up in a hilarious situation. And what's up with Daisy's husband Max?
TALK TURKEY has been expanded into a 25 minute play and retitled "Wedded Bliss". "Wedded Bliss" will be produced at the Nothport One-act Play festival on May 4th and 5th, 2019. Click here for more details.
My Heart Belongs to Daddy: a 10-minute play for adults
The audio version of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" was originally broadcast in the fall of 2015 with the Shoestring Radio Theatre based in San Francisco. Also available as a stage play.
With humor and pathos, 76-year old Daddy who has a "heart condition" and dementia struggles with his 45-year old caretaker daughter Betty over his need to control at least one part of his life.
Monologues
Time and Again
Piney Fork Press Theater of New York City selected TIME AND AGAIN as part of their 2015 Winter Festival winners. A staged reading was held March 21, 2015 at the NYPL George Bruce Auditorium, 518 West 125th St., NYC.
Emily, late thirties, is mourning her son's death. She imagines speaking to Charlotte, a wealthy elderly woman with dementia whose house Emily cleans, about what happened one morning that helped her come to an understanding of her loss.
Going Home
Publisher: Applause Books
Edition: One on One: Playing with a Purpose - Monologues for Kids Ages 7-15 (Applause Acting Series)
Equity Library Theater of NY selected GOING HOME as part of their 2017 Summer Play Festival winners. A staged reading will be held August 5, 2017 in New York City. Click here to see the playbill.
Annie, (12-14), is mourning the loss of her grandma, who raised her. Her mom has never been there for her, and Annie doesn't want anything to do with her when she shows up. Then something happens on the way to the funeral.
On Sacred Ground
Publisher: Meriwether Publishing, Ltd.
Edition: Audition Monologues for Young Women #2: More Contemporary Auditions for Aspiring Actresses
Onatah, (13-15), a Native American girl, is mourning the loss of her home and the changes that are being thrust on her and the other Seneca Native families. Using her grandfather's Talking Stick she tells how she came to an understanding and even a kind of acceptance of the changes she is facing.