"SWM" – SYNOPSIS

"SWM" is a full-length, two-act play which explores the nature of friendship vs. romantic love. The protagonist, Danny, is a divorce lawyer whose occupation and prior relationships have soured him on the idea of marriage, and who professes a belief that friendship is preferable. A bittersweet comedy, the play allows the audience to consider his relationships with his best friends: a divorced woman and her teenaged son, and a gay man he has known since childhood, along with his romance with a former homecoming queen who is now a college professor. The play explores relationships between men and women, gay and straight, and young and old. Though Danny is what we think of as a great friend to others in need, he has difficulty letting others give to him, often deflecting their concerns with witty repartee. When his friends endure crises in their lives, Danny assumes the "caretaker" role, but, when Danny faces an emotionally devastating event in his own life, he shuts his friends out, and it is not until an impatient teenager breaks through his defenses that Danny allows his friends to care for him, and finally understands that this is what was missing from both his friendships and his romances.

There are five characters: Danny, Barry, Sally, and Caroline – all fortyish, and Sally’s son, Josh, a teenager. The play is set in present-day Seattle, and can be produced on a simple set, with various areas of the stage designated as different locations, as suggested by simple furnishings (a desk and some wall certificates to create Danny’s office; a table, chairs, and a logo to create Barry’s coffee shop, etc.), and actors may move pieces of furniture on and off to suggest other locations. Scenes are rarely divided by blackouts. Instead, the action moves quickly from scene to scene, with the characters crossing from one scene location to another. Running time is about 1 hour, 45 minutes excluding intermission.

DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION HISTORY

"SWM" was selected from a national submission for the 2000 Ashland New Plays Festival, held in conjunction with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  It received its premiere production at Actors Cabaret of Eugene (Oregon) in 2001, where it played to sold-out houses and enthusiastic audiences.  It was directed by Kirk Boyd, Artistic Director of Willamette Repertory Theatre (formerly of Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Eugene's only Equity theatre company.  Willamette Rep selected it as part of its "Readings in Rep" series for May, 2007.  "SWM" is available for production.