Guilty Pleasures Monologue Festival

May 8-10, 2025

WRITTEN BY Playwrights from across the country

DIRECTED BY Local artists

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Twelve original monologues.

Written by playwrights in Wisconsin and across the country.

Revealing the comedies and tragedies found in our hidden vices.

Indulge in an evening of confession and hilarity at our eighth Monologue Festival, Guilty Pleasures! This time, the stage becomes a sanctuary for the secret indulgences we dare not admit. This festival of original works promises a delightful journey through the joys, embarrassments, and sweet reliefs that come from embracing our most private delights.

Overture Center
Promenade Hall
201 State St, Madison

PARKING ALERT:
Due to multiple events in downtown Madison, parking will be extremely limited. Use the buttons below to access a parking garage map and current availability.

Garage Map

Current Availability

About the show

Runtime:
2 hr 15 min
Includes a 15-min intermission

Performance Dates:
May 8-10, 2025

Age Recommendations:
Appropriate for ages 13+

Accessibility

We strive to make our performances available to the entire community. This guiding principle captures the theater we aim to be.

We’re proud to be a resident company at Overture Center, which provides practical accessibility for a variety of needs.

Visit accessibility page >

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 won’t touch.