1M,2F. One-Act (15 min), A young man tries to kill himself in this dark, disturbing comedy, but an accidental murder puts things into perspective.
- Finalist in the Kennedy Center/ACTF Region IV 10-Minute Play Competition (2003)
- Finalist in the Time to Strike! Festival in Manhattan, NY (2012)
- Semi-Finalist in the Riant Theatre’s Strawberry One-Act Festival in Manhattan, NY (2005)
- Outstanding Male Performance from Mark Lowry of Theatre Jones Magazine for Joey Folsom as Georgie (2010)
- Great Performance from Alexandria Bonifeld of Theatre Jones Magazine for Joey Folsom as Georgie (2010)
- Published in One Acts of Note 2008 by Desert Road Publishing (2009)
- Excerpt published in The Best Men's Stage Monologues of 2014 by Smith & Kraus (2014)
- Excerpt published in Best Contemporary Monologues for Men 18-35 by Applause Books (2014)
"In Daniel Guyton's GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT, the blackest of black comedies, the suicide attempts of the title character (played by Joey Folsom) keep getting interrupted by the telephone and the doorbell... Guyton's delightfully perverse script is the one that you'll remember." (Lawson Taitte, The Dallas Morning News, 2010)
"Dan Guyton’s GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT opens with an image that shouldn’t be as funny as it is - a young man (Joey Folsom), pointing a gun into his own mouth. But thanks to Folsom’s expert delivery and Lisa Anne Haram’s hilarious performance as his all-abiding mother, this darkest-of-dark-comedies had the audience in stitches." (Will Arbery, D Magazine, 2010)
"Can suicide, serial murder and a potty-mouthed girl scout be funny? Hell yeah, as proven by Daniel Guyton's tarpit-dark comedy GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT... The beauty lies in the writing, which is snappy, succinct and original... The opening scene in GEORGIE is comic gold, and the closing line... could not be more perfect." (Mark Lowry, Theatre Jones, 2010)
"One of the best entries in the 2010 FIT Festival" (Mark Lowry, Theatre Jones, 2011)
"This black comedy... is a tidy, tiny enterprise in delayed gratification, kind of like a Thurber short story compared to a Faulkner novel. All the language and character and thematic depth exist in both, just on a different scale... Impeccable timing by a tight, focused cast ensemble with plenty of textural gravitas and dry comic delivery... This is exactly the sort of creative endeavor that matches FIT’s mission and maintains a high level of artistic integrity. Joey Folsom, in a surprising, clean-shaven, buttoned-down turn, helms the play with signature crisp stage presence and distinctive voice. His lengthy, surreal, tender conversation with a dead body is an acting high point for the entire Festival. Lisa Anne Haram creates a bizarre reality, as horrifying as she is delicious to watch. Stephanie Hall masters the transitional arc [of] the play... with outstanding physical acting - the... play relies almost entirely on her convincing portrayal. And it works famously. Plan on being horrified, then amazed, then relieved - and imagine James Thurber. It’s a strong start for novice director Chad Cline." (Alexandra Bonifield, Critical Rant & Rave, 2010)
"[Stephanie Hall's] physical comedy in this part – where she channels a rag doll – is hilarious. In a festival well-known for minimalist sets, this one wins the prize for the most minimalist. Ever. There is almost nothing to distract the viewer – all the attention and focus is on the three actors." (Carol Anne Gordon, Pegasus News, 2010)
"MonologueBank is proud to recommend the writing of Daniel Guyton. In GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT, two monologues left strong imprints. In one, Georgie, who has accidentally committed a murder, rants to the corpse about his struggles in life and his inability to catch a break. It is a dark examination of jealousy and the struggles of those who have found the American Dream to be an illusion. Also, Momma explains the horrors of Georgie's father's suicide to convince him not to do the same. Guyton is adept at expressing humor, gruesomeness, and heartbreak all at the same time." (MonologueBank, New Play Exchange, 2019)
"Just one more day in the life of a suicidal/homicidal maniac and his mother, this double bill includes Dan Guyton’s GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT, a black comedy about an underachieving momma’s boy with a vision and the girl scout who stands in his way." (David Meglino, FIT Festival Press Release, 2010)
"In GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT, a man is on the precipice of suicide until his mother shows up and ends things with a bang." (Roxanne MacManus, Willamette Week Online, 2010)
"GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT is a dramedy about a guy who loses his job, and about some of the bad decisions he's made involving himself, his mother and a girl scout. Not like you’re thinking, though." (Patricia Sindelar, The Omaha Reader, 2009)
"[Eric] Grant-Leanna... stood out in the evening's first one-act entitled GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT, portraying a suicidal schlemiel." (Mark Robinson, Omaha Theater Examiner, 2009)
"The first offering, GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT by Daniel Guyton, gave Liz Mulhern a chance to shine as an airhead mother pooh-poohing the problems of her suicidal and psychopathic son." (Warren Francke, The Omaha Reader, 2009)
"Haunting, poetic, beautiful and funny." (Brian Harris, Strawberry One-Act Festival award winner, 2006)
"Wonderfully entertaining script." (Kurt Kleinmann, Pegasus Theatre, 2015)
"I loved this play." (Craig Bond, Shelterbelt Theatre, 2012)
"Incredible story, Daniel. I am proud to have been able to play a role in the Shelterbelt's production of GEORGIE, especially knowing that the play helped you express things through humor that had been working on you for so long." (Liz Huse, Shelterbelt Theatre, 2015)
"From the short play by Daniel Guyton comes a slice from the worst day of George McCauley Robertson's life. The recipe for this Black Comedy: manic depressive, suicidal, homicidal college graduate and a fully loaded revolver and his Momma and a Girl Scout and Thin Mints. At the heart this film is about a young man who has invested everything of himself in the American Dream being slapped in the face with the reality that the American Dream is a lie. Hard work and dedication don't get you much when you are a member of the expendable dwindling middle class in modern America. GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT tells the tale of how one college graduate deals with being pushed too far and let down by his society. After successful runs across the nation on stage, this "delightfully dark", "jaw dropping", "heartbreaking", "relevant" story is being re-imagined for the screen." (Joey Folsom, Emotionalism Films, 2011)
"In the worlds he creates, Guyton chooses characters who are often living in extremes. His Georgie, from GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT, is a pushed too far man on the brink, almost talked down from the proverbial ledge by his kind to a fault mother. We see a slow burn of a connection established between his mother’s maternal nature, the trauma she’s experienced, and how it has in turn shaped Georgie. Her final sacrifice is a tragically honest twist in line with the only way she can carry on." (Michael Weems, Next Stage Press, 2015)
"I'm an aspiring actor that relocated to New York to pursue a career in theatre, film and television. I came across a monologue from your play GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT and I must say that I was moved to tears after reciting it at home, each time. I would like to use this monologue in the future." (Donte Smith, actor, 2016)
"If O. Henry and Raymond Chandler had a baby, that baby would be proud of the play. Guyton has crafted an ending like none other. Highly recommended." - Bryan Stubbles, New Play Exchange, 2017
"Daniel Guyton has a quirky sense of humor and it is on full display in GEORGIE. Read (or produce) and enjoy." (Rand Higbee, New Play Exchange, 2018)
- Produced at Maureen Stapleton Theatre in Troy, NY, 2002
- Produced at University of Georgia in Athens, GA, 2003
- Staged Reading at Kennedy Center/ACTF Region IV Festival in Savannah, GA, 2003
- Produced by Incumbo Theater Company in Manhattan, NY, 2004
- Produced at Riant Theatre's Strawberry One-Act Festival in Manhattan, NY, 2005
- Staged Reading on Truth Unvarnished Lacquered Up Shiny (Verizon Public Access TV) in Tampa, FL, 2007
- Produced by Shelterbelt Theatre in Omaha, NE, 2009
- Produced by Third Eye Theatre in Portland, OR, 2010
- Produced by Churchmouse Productions in Dallas, TX, 2010
- Produced as a short film by Emotionalism Films in Dallas, TX, 2011
- Produced in Time to Strike! Short Play Festival in Manhattan, NY, 2012
- Staged Reading at Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Valdez, AK, 2012
- Produced by Mostly Harmless Productions in Schenectady, NY, 2013
- Published by Original Works Publishing (2013)
- Published in Hilarious Nightmares by Next Stage Press (2013)
- Produced at Manhattan Repertory Theatre's Summer One Act Play Competition, 2015
Total Productions (so far): 11
Praise for GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT by Mark Lowry of Theatre Jones (2011)
Praise for Joey Folsom in GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT by Mark Lowry of Theatre Jones (2010)
Praise for Joey Folsom in GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT by Alexandra Bonifield of Critical Rant and Rave (2010)
Review of GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT at the FIT Festival by Will Arbery of D Magazine (2010)
Review of GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT at the FIT Festival by Mark Lowry of Theatre Jones (2010)
Review of GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT at the FIT Festival by Alexandra Bonifield of Critical Rant & Rave (2010)
PR for GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT on the FIT Festival Website (2010)
