A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE
Business Ideas
Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 4w
In a too-cute café, a desperate mother and daughter brainstorm get-rich-quick schemes to pay for college (or maybe to make ends meet?). Meanwhile, their hapless server tries to network with a revolving cast of customers, all hilariously played by one actor.
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Cast Size
4w -
Duration
75 Minutes -
Target Audience
Adult
Details
Summary
Winner of the 21st Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, Business Ideas is a comedy about getting rich. In a too-cute café, a desperate mother and daughter brainstorm get-rich-quick schemes to pay for college (or maybe to make ends meet?). Meanwhile, their hapless server tries to network with a revolving cast of customers, all hilariously played by one actor. Inspired by playwright Milo Cramer’s own experiences with his enterprising mom, Business Ideas is an award-winning comedy about getting rich (or not?), and whether money really buys happiness – one cup of coffee at a time.
History
Business Ideas premiered at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA on November 16, 2024. Directed by Matt Torney, the production featured Courtenay Collins, Devon Hales, Courtney Patterson and Michelle Pokopac. The play made its New York City premiere at Clubbed Thumb’s Summerworks festival in May 2025. Directed by Laura Dupper, the NYC production featured Brittany Bradford, Laura Scott Cary, Annie McNamara and Mary Wiseman.
Cast Attributes
Performing Groups
- Time Period Contemporary, Present Day
- Setting A café. The present.
- Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
- Additional Features No Intermission
- Duration 75 Minutes
- Cautions
- Strong Language
Media
“A thoughtful, heightened comedy… a curveball-throwing play about work, survival and the quest for a meaningful life.” – The New York Times
“Sharp and witty… a fresh take on comedy, capitalism and the human condition… Set in a familiar yet fictional café, Business Ideas explores themes of ambition, financial insecurity and societal pressures with a comedic twist… What makes Business Ideas stand out is its uncanny ability to balance biting satire with genuine warmth… a must-see for entrepreneurs, dreamers, and everyone in between.” – Livin’ In Io
“Intergenerational comedy… At the core of the play is a deep exploration of what it means to work.” – Christian Lewis, 3views
“Cramer’s play certainly speaks to the ridiculousness of trying to work one’s way through (and suddenly up) in capitalism.” – Marissa Joyce Stamps, 3views
“What do you do?… In Milo Cramer’s Business Ideas, this question of vocation and action in the face of adversity repeats until it becomes an existential echo.” – Christine Mok, 3views
Videos
Business Ideas – Alliance Theatre Trailer
Licensing & Materials
- Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.