Art Beat Review: Eight stories take the stage in Edmonds Driftwood Players’ Festival of Shorts

The Edmonds Driftwood Players’ 14th Annual Festival of Shorts opened Thursday at the Wade James Theatre with a heartfelt collection of eight brief plays orbiting this year’s theme of “CROSSROADS: a choice or event that changed courses.” This year’s playwriting festival received an incredible 635 script submissions, and the finalists were selected by volunteer readers through a blind judging process over a 10-week period.

The eight plays are presented in two acts, each flowing seamlessly into the next. Exploring the theme of “crossroads,” each of the finalists meet at the intersection of the human experience —some pieces are quirky, others laugh-out-loud funny, and still others find their ways to our hearts.

As you enter, a soundtrack sets the tone, a song about “crossroads.” There’s a rustle through the crowd as programs are flipped open, audience ballots grasped gently between fingers. We’re asked, “Does at least one character have an arc?” Anticipation hums through the theater. Tonight, eight stories will unfold.

ACT I

Wine DNA
By Erin Osgood | Directed by Susie Matthews | Featuring Renni Elliot & Joey Tirado
Synopsis: Sorella and Jonah try to connect over their love of wine on an obligatory blind date.

Wine DNA takes the classic blind date setup and adds an unforeseen playful twist — awkward, edge-of-your-seat moments, clashing preferences (cats vs. dogs), and plenty of holiday pours. Renni Elliot as Sorella is disinterested and detached at first, while Joey Tirado’s Jonah pours it on thick until a shared love for Austen’s Pride and Prejudice surprises them both. What begins as mutual mismatch bubbles into possibility…What could go wrong? The twists and turns of this story set the tone for the rest of the evening’s short plays.

Changing Colors
By Keith Whalen | Directed by Vicki Wicks | Featuring Daniel Hanlon & Susan Chung
Synopsis: A sick chameleon brings Todd and Cassie back together, forcing them accept the reality of their son’s death and tackle how to move forward.

This one struck a chord. It was deeply honest and very believable. Keith Whalen’s script uses the chameleon — a creature that changes color with its environment — as a powerful metaphor for grief, transformation and survival. Daniel Hanlon’s Todd makes his entrance with the clink of empty beer bottles into an overflowing trash can, a bit of staging that tells us everything before a word is spoken. Susan Chung’s Cassie, with considerate determination, finds a way to say what grief has silenced. Their performances are raw, believable and deeply human. The chameleon becomes not just a pet, but a symbol of the courage to face the pain together.

A Gentle Lift

By Steve Apostolina | Directed by Tammis Doyle | Featuring Natalie Sampson, Sheila Strehle, & Adam Nyhoff
Synopsis: A harried young woman gets remarkable advice from a mysterious older woman in a stalled elevator.

A Gentle Lift offers wisdom with wit. Natalie Sampson’s Alison is all nerves and skepticism and Sheila Strehle’s Woman is serene and ambiguous. The stalled elevator transforms into a crossroads and their bond deepens over sharp dialogue and shared experiences. When the elevator jolts back to life and Adam Nyhoff’s character steps in, it’s clear that something in Alison has shifted. Smartly written, subtly performed and very profound.

Love in the Time of COVID
By Rick Davis | Directed by Curtis Rawls | Featuring Daniel Hanlon & Ines Kreitlein
Synopsis: Alan and Melanie are running out of time and money. Melanie has a plan and Alan resists. Together they face a decision that could lead to a secure future…or to jail.

Daniel Hanlon and Ines Kreitlein portray a couple caught between desperation and hope — facing not only financial ruin but the gray areas life demands they navigate. Melanie’s ominous ringtone hints at buried secrets, while Alan grapples with a plan that could either save or destroy them. The pandemic lingers, shaping every decision. The tension builds steadily, with quick choices made on the fly, each one veering the couple down a radically different path. What choices will they make? A well-written story of light and dark, comedy and tragedy.

ACT II

In the Same Boat
By Domenick Scudera | Directed by Julie L. Benner | Featuring Michael Cimino & Cara Thomas
Synopsis: A random encounter allows a drag queen to help a woman who is at a crossroads in regards to her relationship with her daughter.

One of the evening’s most delightful surprises and laugh-out-loud plays. What begins as a ferry ride becomes a reflection on freedom (the backdrop is the Statue of Liberty), identity, and the messy beauty of being human. Michael Cimino’s M.T. Vessel is sharp, funny and deeply human — a drag queen wrestling with meaning. Cara Thomas as Hudson brings raw honesty that allows something real between them to bloom. Their banter turns into friendly gossip — I felt like I was there with them. M.T Vessel exclaims, “You got a mouth on you!” “Is that a compliment?” retorts Hudson. But it’s the moment when M.T. softly says, “Sorry,” that lands right on my heart. And just when you think you have it figured out, an unexpected twist!

Priceless
By Samara Siskind | Directed by Henry S. Brown, Jr. | Featuring Cindy Chen & James Andrew Carroll
Synopsis: Two people barter at a garage sale only to realize that friendship is the most prized of all possessions.

In Priceless, two strangers — over a table of bric-a-brac — stumble into each other’s history. Cindy Chen brings genuine vulnerability as Samantha, and James Andrew Carroll’s Jonas is unexpectedly tender. What begins as a tense barter over a small stuffed toy becomes a sweet portrait of shared pasts. Their chemistry is gentle, believable. A truly lovely, soft moment of connection.

The Christmas Letter
By Alice Burke | Directed by Diane Jamieson | Featuring Vicki Wicks & Travis Hickox
Synopsis: Muriel is stuck writing her yearly Christmas Letter, longing for an exciting life to brag about. Her son helps her understand what’s important and how to solve her problem.

Warm-hearted Muriel, played by Vicki Wicks, captures the anxious social pressures many of us experience with those performative holiday letters. Travis Hickox’s Ben plays the logical and persistent son, nudging his mother toward something more honest. This story is believable, also revealing grief over a lost spouse. This story invites us to reflect on the urge we have to edit ourselves for others. And yet, it’s genuinely funny too. Alice Burke is like a seasoned comedian holding up a mirror to our humanity.

Art Imitates

By Rory O’Neill | Directed by Thomas A. Glass | Featuring Joey Tirado, Ines Kreitlein, Natalie Sampson & Michael Cimino
Synopsis: A first date at the museum is getting so awkward that two paintings have no choice but to step in.

Think Night at the Museum meets romantic comedy. Joey Tirado’s Connor and Ines Kreitlein’s Ella are mismatched art museum-goers fumbling their way through a first date. Two paintings— Mathilda, played by Natalie Sampson, and Bernard, by Michael Cimino — come to life with laugh-out-loud commentary. The wardrobe evokes 18th century paintings, and Cimino’s comedic delivery as Bernard brings the house down. A fun, artful closing to an evening steeped in humanity.

Not every piece landed with equal force, but together, this collection created a space for intersection, choice and transformation. As the house lights rose and audience ballots emerged, the room buzzed with debate. Whom to choose…?

Scene transitions flowed smoothly, and the lighting and staging supported quick shifts without distracting from the performances. The EDPs dedicated production team deserves credit for the skillful and amazing seamless delivery of all eight plays!

The Edmonds Driftwood Players’ 14th Annual Festival of Shorts is a celebration of storytelling. After the final curtain falls, EDP will announce the playwright winners for 1st , 2nd, and 3rd Place Judges’ Awards and announce the Overall Audience Favorite (audience ballot award!).

Performances continue through June 29 at the Wade James Theatre in Edmonds. Tickets are $20 general admission and available online here or by phone at 425-774-9600. Some content is best suited for teens and adults.

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Driftwood Players’ Season 67: It’s Here!

Don’t miss the announcement of Edmonds Driftwood Players’ 2025–2026 Season 67, featuring four mainstage productions ranging from classic farces and Broadway magic to political satire and an Agatha Christie whodunnit!

The season opens this fall with Ken Ludwig’s A Fox on the Fairway (Sept. 19-Oct. 12), followed by the family-friendly musical Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Broadway Version), (Nov. 21-Dec. 14). The new year brings the political comedy The Outsider (Feb. 27-March 22), and the season concludes with The Mysterious Affair at Styles (May 15-June 7), Agatha Christie’s first Hercule Poirot mystery. And mark your calendars for the return of the 15th Annual Festival of Shorts, with the final dress rehearsal on Wednesday, June 24, and public performances on June 25 and 26, 2026.

Season subscriptions ($120 general, $110 youth/senior/military) go on sale for return subscribers July 8, and for new subscribers July 22. Individual tickets ($31/$28) will be available beginning July 29. Group discounts are also offered. For tickets or details, visit Edmonds Driftwood Players or call 425-774-9600.

The company also continues its commitment New Works with its First Draft reading series, education programs for youth, and Take a Kid to the Theatre—a community outreach initiative to bring live theatre with families in local shelters and transitional housing. EDP also offers annual scholarships for students interested in pursuing theatre education at any college, university or technical school in the United States. 

Whether you’re a longtime supporter or a newcomer, there’s something for everyone on and off stage in Season 67.

Based in Edmonds, Nahline Gouin is a freelance writer, ceramicist and arts advocate with experience in art museums and performing arts centers. She continues to create with clay, homeschool her son and write as a creative practice. Contact her at nahline.gouin@gmail.com.