How to Cure Tarantula Mouth
“Eyeless and hairy, squatting in his mouth, a brown prickly leg twitching between closed lips. How did it get there? He turned his head to one side and tried spitting, but it squirmed and remained. What if it bites? Smoldering greasesticks impaled in my neck. He rolled over with extreme caution, feeling for the pillow, but there was only the dusty rug on the floor. He had been breathing lint throughout the night and the tarantula was not a tarantula but his tongue.” - Richard George Fariña
Synopsis - A mysterious, guitar strumming figure known as, The Guy Who Built the House tells the story of Frankie, who goes for a weekend retreat, from his life in the city and some major family dysfunction, to his friend Clay’s house in Hudson, NY. Clay is a heroin addict in recovery, and his partner Matt consequently has anger issues. Caught up in a problematic love triangle, how does Frankie deal with the narcissism, lack of boundaries, and incessant cyclical nature of such an insidious disease? How does he come to terms with how little he can actually help his friend? And who is this magical narrator?
Single unit set, 4 male characters, Dramatic Comedy, LGBTQ and addiction themes.
Single unit set, 4 male characters, Dramatic Comedy, LGBTQ and addiction themes.
Characters -
FRANKIE - Late 20s to mid 30s, short, little, a touch nerdy intellectual, glasses, not unattractive, sometimes effeminate, lots of personality and charm.
CLAY - Mid 30s, tall: 6’ 2” or taller, very attractive, masculine, a golden boy. Smart, educated, unkempt, a crumpled preppy, a Jack Kerouac type.
MATT - Late 30s, early 40s, ruggedly handsome, very masculine, very serious, never smiles even when and if he ever laughs.
THE GUY THAT BUILT THE HOUSE - 50s, a tough, working class guy. Takes himself very seriously at times. Creepy. Plays the guitar.
FRANKIE - Late 20s to mid 30s, short, little, a touch nerdy intellectual, glasses, not unattractive, sometimes effeminate, lots of personality and charm.
CLAY - Mid 30s, tall: 6’ 2” or taller, very attractive, masculine, a golden boy. Smart, educated, unkempt, a crumpled preppy, a Jack Kerouac type.
MATT - Late 30s, early 40s, ruggedly handsome, very masculine, very serious, never smiles even when and if he ever laughs.
THE GUY THAT BUILT THE HOUSE - 50s, a tough, working class guy. Takes himself very seriously at times. Creepy. Plays the guitar.
Development - I began writing How to Cure Tarantula Mouth after having revceiving an MFA in playwriting at CUNY Hunter with Tina Howe. After completing the first draft, Tina read it and gave me notes. A couple of drafts later, I pulled together a living room reading of the play, followed by a public reading at The Atlantic Theatre, NYC. Further developmental notes were given by Ian Morgan of The New Group, NYC.
Awards - How to Cure Tarantula Mouth was a finalist in the Trustus Theatre Competition, a finalist for Abingdon Theatre’s Developmental program, a semi-finalist for the Stanley Drama Award, a semi-finalist the Kernodle New Play Award, and a semi-finalist for the Eugene O’Neill Center.