Highlights from the 9th Annual Short Play Festival at the Academy Theatre

If you’ve ever found yourself reluctantly rising for a standing ovation after a mediocre play, you’re not alone. I recently attended Tapas—The Bow, the 9th Annual Short Play Festival at the Academy Theatre, and one particular piece spoke directly to that familiar internal debate. What followed was a night of sharp writing, standout performances, and thoughtful storytelling that’s stayed with me.

The best thing about going to the theater is seeing a show you enjoy. But let’s be honest—many productions are poorly written, poorly performed, or both. And yet, more often than not, the audience still rises to its feet as the cast takes a bow.

Why do we do this? I’ve wondered about it for years. I’ve been guilty of joining a standing ovation for a lackluster show—and just as often, I’ve stayed seated, refusing to go along with the crowd.

Either way, you’re damned. You either condone mediocrity or you risk looking like a jerk for not standing with everyone else.

That universal dilemma is exactly what makes Hank Kimmel’s microplay The Dilemma of a Standing Ovation so spectacular. Kimmel takes us inside the mind of one conflicted audience member as he debates whether to rise or remain seated, sparring with his own thoughts and the people around him.

His play alone is worth the trip to Tapas—The Bow, the 9th Annual Short Play Festival at the Academy Theatre.

Kimmel’s writing is hilarious and spot-on. As the saying goes, he took the words right out of my mouth—though he delivers them far better than I ever could. It’s no surprise the script is so sharp: Kimmel has been a playwright for more than two decades, teaches playwriting with Working Title Playwrights, and holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism as well as a law degree from Emory University.

My second favorite of the 11 short plays was written by Kimmel’s wife, Barbara Kimmel, an award-winning children’s book author and playwright. Like her husband, she holds a bachelor’s degree from Brown University. Her play, My Native Language, is based on her marriage and explores the miscommunication between a husband from New York and a wife from South Carolina. Her work has been staged in New York, Atlanta, and London. In 2022, her play Reconstruction was selected for the Ivoryton Women Playwrights Festival, where it earned an Ellie Award.

My third favorite was I Will Not Bow, a gripping piece based on the true story of Dutch students resisting Nazi rule during the German occupation of Holland. Written by actor, musician, and playwright Paige Steadman, the play feels chillingly relevant in light of today’s political climate.

And finally, I’d be remiss not to mention Kitt Marsh, a standout in the role of the agent in The Vampire Nobody Wanted. With pitch-perfect comedic timing, she channels the spirit of Rose Marie from The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Whether you’re a seasoned theatergoer or just dipping your toes into the world of short plays, Tapas—The Bow offers an evening that’s funny, poignant, and at times uncomfortably relatable. It’s a reminder of why live theater matters—and why, sometimes, choosing whether or not to stand can say more than the play itself.

Tapas-The Bow, the 9^th Annual Short Play Festival, runs Saturdays and Sundays through May 25 at the Academy Theatre. Don’t miss it.