Dreamers Often Lie
"I dreamt a dream last night."
"And, so did I."
"Well, what was yours?"
"That dreamers often lie."
"And, so did I."
"Well, what was yours?"
"That dreamers often lie."
Synopsis - With Romeo and Juliet as a jumping off point, the play is set in an all boys’ school in New England in 1944, and answers the question: What if Tybalt were in love with Mercutio? Sexual angst and bottled up emotions build toward explosive levels, as World War II looms like a black cloud over head.
Multiple locations created minimally. 7 male characters. 6 of them are 17 years old (to be played by early 20s); one is 12 years old. World War II, Internalized homophobia, bullying and the last era of “innocence”. Comic Drama. Realism/Fabulist.
Multiple locations created minimally. 7 male characters. 6 of them are 17 years old (to be played by early 20s); one is 12 years old. World War II, Internalized homophobia, bullying and the last era of “innocence”. Comic Drama. Realism/Fabulist.
Characters – (All roles except for Julian should be played by males in their early 20s.)
-Thomas (Tommy) Lockheed – 17. Very handsome, if not pretty. (Son of the
manufacturer of the P38, WWII fighter plane.)
-Marcus Curtiss – 17. Very handsome; snobbish, quirky with an edge, masculine but plays the fop. (Son of the manufacturer of the P40, WWII fighter plane.)
-Samuel (Sammy)– 17, Tommy’s friend. A little slow on the uptake. He’s like a big, loyal puppy dog.
-Gregory (Greg) – 17, Tommy’s friend. Defined by his neatness and his glasses. More of
a gentleman than a nerd.
-Reginald (Reggie)– 17, Marcus’ friend. Very attractive. A dreamer. Head in the clouds.
-Benjamin (Benny)– 17, Marcus’ friend. Boyish, like a puppy, very enthusiastic.
-Julian, Tommy’s 12 year old cousin, a boy soprano. Innocent, sensitive, angelic. (Not necessarily a singing role: Singing can be recorded and scenes can be lit to hide the fact that the actor is not doing the singing.)
-Thomas (Tommy) Lockheed – 17. Very handsome, if not pretty. (Son of the
manufacturer of the P38, WWII fighter plane.)
-Marcus Curtiss – 17. Very handsome; snobbish, quirky with an edge, masculine but plays the fop. (Son of the manufacturer of the P40, WWII fighter plane.)
-Samuel (Sammy)– 17, Tommy’s friend. A little slow on the uptake. He’s like a big, loyal puppy dog.
-Gregory (Greg) – 17, Tommy’s friend. Defined by his neatness and his glasses. More of
a gentleman than a nerd.
-Reginald (Reggie)– 17, Marcus’ friend. Very attractive. A dreamer. Head in the clouds.
-Benjamin (Benny)– 17, Marcus’ friend. Boyish, like a puppy, very enthusiastic.
-Julian, Tommy’s 12 year old cousin, a boy soprano. Innocent, sensitive, angelic. (Not necessarily a singing role: Singing can be recorded and scenes can be lit to hide the fact that the actor is not doing the singing.)
Development - Early development of Dreamers Often Lie started in class with Tina Howe as part of the MFA playwriting program at CUNY Hunter College, NYC. After graduating I continued with it through the summer with intermittent notes from Tina Howe, and subsequent readings in NYC.
Awards - Finalist for the Pegasus PlayLab, University of Central Florida.