1M. One-Act (10 min), Bingo attends the funeral of his best friend in full birthday clown regalia - much to the chagrin of his best friend's family.
"A fierce, unforgettable monologue with emotional highs and devastating lows. Bingo is both brutal and vulnerable, equal parts clown and confessor, pulling us into a world shaped by repression, shame, and the aching "what ifs". It's a haunting reminder of how trauma contorts identity, and how performance can become both a mask and a cry for connection. A stunning piece" (Paris Herbert-Taylor, New Play Exchange, 2025).
"You wouldn't want Bingo at your child's birthday party. But you might want to book him for your funeral, so he can chew to bits anyone on your hate list. Kidding aside, this is a powerful, unforgettable monologue - raw, intense, cruel like the characters in Guyton's Prison Monologues. This character makes me wonder why we are so drawn to vicious characters... Perhaps, they're the ones that suffered some childhood trauma or they've just suffered...just like us. Bravo, again." (Asher Wyndham, New Play Exchange, 2015)
"We all have those best friends from our childhoods that have helped shaped us, and sometimes those friends were actually ones that we loved on a physical level. The 'what could have been' moments of this play will melt your frozen heart when we think about all the relationships that never materialized because of the hate of others and the hate of the church. Bingo arrives in full clown makeup, but we realize his friend was also forced into such a life of hiding and shame because of the trauma instilled on him by his older brother. Bravo." (Lee R. Lawing, New Play Exchange, 2022)
"My favorite monologue so far. The back story is intense and unexpected." (Asher Wyndham, New Play Exchange, 2015)
"What a tour de force! Written impeccably well! The audience doesn't know whether he's off his rocker or navigating grief for a lost friend. He clearly brings some baggage, but still shows up for the memory of his friend, a noble effort. I think an actor could have great fun with this piece." (Bram Hartman, New Play Exchange, 2023)
"What's a birthday clown doing at a funeral? Hey, you can't spell funeral without F-U-N! Meet Bingo, he's out of his element but attempting to pay his respects to a former love. From the comedic mind of renowned playwright Daniel Guyton comes BINGO, THE BIRTHDAY CLOWN." (Press Release, Darkhorse Dramatists, 2015)
"This monologue has strong juxtaposition, addresses multiple people, and slowly reveals character, making it a thoughtful piece." (Samantha Marchant, New Play Exchange, 2022)
"Your monologue, BINGO, THE BIRTHDAY CLOWN, went over very well at Saturday evening's Darkhorse Dramatists, Tales from the Script performance! Congrats!" (Mickey Ray, Darkhorse Dramatists, 2015)
- Staged Reading at Onion Man Productions Annual Open House Party, 2015
- Produced at Piney Fork Press Theatre in Manhattan, NY, 2015
- Produced by Darkhorse Dramatists in Binghamton, NY, 2015
- Published by Next Stage Press as part of Hilarious Nightmares 2, 2016
