Paul Hufker's New Plays: Reading on April 24

From nytheatre.com reviewer Paul Hufker:

I’m having a reading on April 24th of two plays of mine. The reading starts at 7:00pm and ends at 9:30. Its location is The Drilling Company, 236 w. 78th st, 3rd floor.

The first piece is entitled Small Pox in the Blankets and features the wonderfully talented Jennifer Laine Williams, Susan Quinn, and Scott Baker.

Synopsis: A pathetic clown has lost his way. His young daughter resents the hell out of him. Like any addict, his need for applause has alienated the precocious youngster and enraged her. To make matters worse, along comes a step-mommy which tortures and patronizes the bright, broken girl. Suddenly, ultimatums, threats, violence. Sure, the clown is a performer, but what does he owe his audience? His daughter? What does the daughter owe him and what in the world is this woman doing here? Come find out. It’s good. I promise.

The second piece in the evening is a coming-of-age full-length that is both touching and tenuous, affectionate and edgy. It’s entitled The Wet Woods and stars immensely talented actors Josh Bywater and Max Davis.

Synopsis: Paul and Anthony have been friends since birth. Paul said his first word in Anthony’s kitchen. But screw Missouri. Screw high school. Screw freshman year. They wanna live in this really cool patch of woods Paul found. Girls are coming! With f-ing beer! This is going to be a very good night. Paul is eager to touch the goodies. He’s seen lots of stuf. Porn. Starting at age eight? Yikes. Where the hell are the girls? What’s keeping them? Anthony’s room is always clean. Paul’s tired of his filthy house. He’ll have Anthony rake and get the leaves up and keep the dirt in straight lines like Paul wants. Paul will hunt the food. Anthony is pretty f-ing nervous. What happens when the girls get here? Paul wants Anthony to do to the girls what the guys do to the girls in the Hustler he brought. It involves lots of things. Fingers. Fists. Anthony cries. He likes animals. He’d rather talk about the rabbits he keeps in his mom’s garden. Paul is having serious troubles with his digestive tract. There’s blood when he wipes. It won’t stop. Will his older friend Rob show? He’s great with girls. Will he bring his dad’s gun? Paul’s seen him shoot it.

Suddenly, the sounds of the woods are electronic. Suddenly they are older. They’re coming back here. What has life done to each of them? Rob was wounded in Iraq. His wife took the kids. PTSD, they think. Works the night shift at the Mobil on Lindbergh. Anthony’s wife is having their second child. He’s an activiist? Who would have thought? He was such a docile kid. Vegetarian? Yea, we saw that coming. Paul? What about Paul? He says he’s got a nice set up somewhere with a friend, but. Does he? And. There’s still blood. Only much more this time.

“Anthony? Help. Please”

Will he?