The Machine Stops

In a world where everything operates via a singular machine, people like Vashti have become conditioned to a bland and lethargic lifestyle. When Kuno notices a significant fault with The Machine, it is up to him to convince his mother to embrace a drastic change.

Is it possible to fall in love with someone you cannot see? In this tale, Nick finds himself enjoying his confinement in prison more and more as his neighbor’s blissful positivity begins to rub off on him. As the two prisoners share conversations, Nick begins to experience the kind of joy he hasn’t felt in a long time.

When Taylor wakes up from a deep sleep, he is surprised to find himself in a boarded up farmhouse. Confused and dazed, Taylor fights to convince Norman and his daughter, Sarah, to let him leave, but to no avail.

Damien, a nurse at Beachside Nursing Home in Virginia, is knocking on stranger's door with some difficult news. The woman who opens the door is far from what he was expecting.

A stony banker, working from his apartment in the early days of lockdown, wishes to stop a neighbor from feeding pigeons on her balcony. The conversation doesn’t go as planned. With zany, snappy banter exchanged through the increasingly familiar setting of a Zoom call, Doug might just learn that graces received should be graces shared, even to those as “undesirable” as pigeons.

Eli and Hazel, two young best friends, are navigating the first COVID-19 lockdown and all its uncertainty together through letter-writing. While Eli is trying to remain relentlessly lighthearted, his best friend Hazel struggles to cope with some of the more brutal realities of the pandemic.

It’s been a while since Millie and Andy have had the chance to see each other. It’s been a while since Andy has had the chance to see much of anyone. While his wife, Millie, is on mission in space, Andy faces the trials of quarantine back on Earth. Now, he has to spend his brief face-to-face conversation with Millie breaking some unfortunate news. Enjoy “Above & Beyond”, the sixth episode of The Quarantine Plays.

In 1939, the United States heard Orson Welles' production of War of the Worlds. It was so convincing and so creatively produced that masses of people believe the world was truly under martian attack. Join our host, Norma, as she remembers how that radio show changed her life forever.Enjoy "We Know Now," the fifth episode of The Quarantine Plays, a new series from The Merry Beggars. To find out more, go to TheMerryBeggars.com/Radio.- - -When COVID-19 hit the United States, The Merry Beggars launched a contest for 10-minute radio plays responding to the theme of "quarantine." We received over 120 responses from around the world. While we can't produce all of them, we've chosen twelve of the scripts to bring to you. Please enjoy Episode 1. was written by Georgia Belle.The Narrator was played by Judy McMillanNorma was played by Cassidy SandryNorma’s Ma was played by Lisa StanleyNorma’s Pa was played by Cecil Archbold Jr.Billy was played by Ryan LedmanBilly’s Ma was played by Bonnie BogovichBilly’s Pa was played by Rich GreeneMrs. Jennings was played by DL MerlinYounger Sister Bess was played by Bailee BonickWhat would you do, if the whole world went mad?"We Know Now"CAST:Casting - Connor CarlinDirection - Jacob GrothSound Design - Theresa Ambat- - -For more information go to TheMerryBeggars.com

James' ex-girlfriend Sonya calls him up, telling him to meet her in the park. "It'll only take a minute," she says. But neither of their lives will ever be the same...Enjoy "Stones," the fourth episode of The Quarantine Plays, a new series from The Merry Beggars. To find out more, go to TheMerryBeggars.com/Radio.- - -When COVID-19 hit the United States, The Merry Beggars launched a contest for 10-minute radio plays responding to the theme of "quarantine." We received over 120 responses from around the world. While we can't produce all of them, we've chosen twelve of the scripts to bring to you. Please enjoy Episode 1. was written by Ben Washington.Sonya was played by Audrey HeroldJames was played by Jack WainwrightOfficer Richardson was played by Cecil ArchboldOfficer Daniels was played by Peter SalzerWhat if you were made for something more? Can you hear it calling?"Stones"CAST:Direction - Peter AtkinsonSound Design - Theresa Ambat- - -For more information go to TheMerryBeggars.comWe rely on our donors to make these productions possible. To partner with our mission and become a donor, go to TheMerryBeggars.com/Donate

"You never make the journey home alone." Accompany a young family as they road trip to their parents' home, the third episode in The Quarantine Plays, a new series from The Merry Beggars.Andy - John Paul StansburyJen - Megan CarterDarcy - Maria CollinsGabe - Oliver CollinsSound Design - Theresa AmbatDirection - Peter AtkinsonI Do Like the Rain by Kiley HatchCAST:If you would like to hear more from The Merry Beggars, check out our daily podcast “The Dailies.”If you liked this production, please share it with a friend or family member. And leave us a review on Apple Podcasts - it helps us rank in the charts and tells Apple to share us with other listeners.Thank you to our donors for making this production possible and for supporting The Merry Beggars’ overall mission: to heal our culture by using theatre to tell the truth about man - that we are made by a loving God who seeks us daily.To find out more about The Merry Beggars, go to TheMerryBeggars.comTo help support our work, join The Merry Crew: https://themerrybeggars.com/crew