Two divorced couples crisscross their romantic paths and hook up with each others’ exes without realizing it until it’s too late and wedding bells start to chime.
Elaine, dumped a few years back by playboy husband Sam, runs a struggling bookstore that somehow attracts the attention of Alex, a shy younger man whose hard-charging wife Corinne also left behind. While the attraction between Elaine and Alex grows, Sam forges ahead with plans to marry his new love – who turns out to be none other than Corinne. No one realizes the connections until Sam asks Elaine to agree to some last minute changes to their divorce settlement – a settlement that stands in the way of Sam and Corinne’s impending nuptials.
“The Exes” is a story about letting go of failed relationships and allowing new love to replace and heal the hurt that can keep us stagnant.
All audiences
Length: approx. 32 pages
Cast size: 4
Production History:
Staged reading at 2013 Fertile Ground Festival of New Works, January 27, 2013 3-5 PM, Hipbone Studios, 1847 E. Burnside, Portland, OR. Cast:
- Elaine – Dorinda Toner
- Alex – Nevan Richard
-
Sam – David Roberts
- Corinne – Foss Curtis
Reviews:
“Fun! We knew something that the characters didn’t know, and their witty-but-believable quips only deepened the embarrassment that we, the audience, gigglingly sensed was in store for them when they finally put it all together.”
– A. L. Adams, Oregon Artswatch, Jan. 30, 2013
“…[A] clear story/plot told with skill and talent… The people are sympathetic, witty and amusing. It is a comedy of manners set in modern times… funny, and moving.”
– Vin Lewis, Helen-Jean playwriting contest, September 15, 2015