Plays and Stories by Gary Slezak

2023 Update

EIGHT NEW STORIES AND ONE NEW PLAY JUST ADDED!


October 2021 Update

A new anthology with my story, The Christmas War, is now available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735401978?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860 


I will be reading the story at the launch of Open Heart Chicago on Nov 12th at Exile in Bookville, a new bookstore in the Fine Arts Building at 410 S. Michigan Avenue. The event begins at 6 pm, readings begin at 7pm.


Fall 2021 Update

Later this fall, look for Gary Slezak's story in Open Heart Chicago: An Anthology of Chicago Writing.  Published by Blue Heron Books. 


2015 Update

PLAYHOUSE was recently selected as a semi-finalist by the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut. The script is currently being considered by professional companies in Chicago and New York.


HURRY SLOWLY was presented in a staged reading at Chicago Dramatists. Richard Shavzin directed. The cast included Jurgen Hooper as Casey, Chuck Stransky as Jack, Judy Blue as Iris, and Michelle Schupe as Meg. The play is now being considered by theaters in Chicago, New York and Memphis.


CRY UNCLE, a comedy, is still in development and will be performed at readings in the coming year. While most of my plays are set in Chicago, CRY UNCLE takes place in a small Florida town in 1995.


More short stories will be appearing on the site soon, both published and unpublished. I hope you enjoy reading the play scenes and the stories. If you wish to read the full script of a play , please contact me here.



-- Gary Slezak


Summer 2014

Welcome to my new website, which incorporates beatthejester.com and slaphappyplay.com into a single site, which also includes new and additional writing.


I recently finished a two-year fellowship at Chicago Dramatists, where I developed two new plays and began work on a third.


PLAYHOUSE received a staged reading at Chicago Dramatists on December 14th, 2013. Richard Shavzin directed an amazing cast: Judy Blue as Julia, Mary Mulligan as

Cathy, Doug McKechnie as Jason, Charlie Wein as Dylan, and Michelle Schupe as Annie.


HURRY SLOWLY receives a table reading this summer and a staged reading later in the year.


CRY UNCLE is a comedy drama in development, as are two shorter plays: MELBOURNE’S LAST BOOK and CRAVEN.


I am also putting my short stories on the site, both published and unpublished. More will appear in the coming year.


I hope you enjoy reading the plays and stories. If you would like to read a complete play script, please contact me.



--Gary Slezak


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