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Synopsis
Aging Oscar-winner Jack Dunn emerges from years of self-imposed exile in Alaska to reconnect with his oldest friend – and fiercest rival – Wade Henry, a Tony-winning stage actor weathering his own uncertain season in a well-appointed Connecticut home. What begins as a late-night poker game fueled by expensive whiskey and shared history gradually exposes old resentments, professional jealousy, and the lingering shadow of a woman who once stood between them. As talk turns to a highly anticipated new play that could redefine (or quietly diminish) a legacy, the evening slips from nostalgic to volatile. With egos bruised and memories distorted, Jack and Wade find themselves trapped in a dangerous game where performance and reality blur, alliances shift, and the stakes extend far beyond the cards on the table.
Inspiration Set
Playwright Note
I frequently explore toxic masculinity in my work, often assigning those traits to men who occasionally evolve into slightly better versions of themselves but more often barrel toward their own downfall because of it, sometimes hilariously, sometimes devastatingly, and often both. With Cooler, I bring that dynamic front and center, with no subtlety, as two men with outrageously inflated egos collide under pressure. Jack and Wade are actors from another era who have spent nearly their entire lives performing, especially when the stakes are highest. Awards line the shelves, old rivalries simmer beneath polite toasts, regret masquerades as bravado, and vulnerability hides behind cruelty. What fascinates me is not just their arrogance but their anxiety about aging, irrelevance, replacement, and being forgotten. Strip away the applause and what remains? When legacy becomes a zero sum game, friendship becomes collateral damage. Whether the play offers a deeper message is an open question. It may be about ego as a survival instinct or the stories men tell themselves to avoid confronting fear, or it may simply be about two stubborn fools locked in a high stakes poker game they cannot win. Either way, it is a dark, twisted ride where the line between performance and reality blurs and no one leaves the table clean.
Production History
COOLER was originally produced by Lab Theater Project (Tampa, FL) opening on Thursday, May 15th, 2025 and closing on Sunday, June 1st, 2025. The cast featured Jason Hoolihan as Jack Dunn, Kyle Stone as Wade Henry and Denise Mestanza-Taylor as Delia Sabatini/Judith Williams. Hippie Griswold took over the role of Wade Henry on May 24th, 2025. The piece was directed by Katie Calahan.
Development History
COOLER received a private virtual development reading on Wed, Sep 6th 2023. The cast featured Frank Nall as Jack Dunn, Dana Scott Galloway as Wade Henry, and Lisa M. Hodsoll as Delia Sabatini/Judith Williams.
COOLER received a public development reading in Chautauqua, New York on Tue, Jul 25th, 2023. The reading was hosted/produced by Mike Thornton and Stephen Stout and the cast featured Mike Thornton as Jack Dunn and Stephen Stout as Wade Henry.
COOLER received a public development reading in Chautauqua, New York on Tue, Jul 25th, 2023. The reading was hosted/produced by Mike Thornton and Stephen Stout and the cast featured Mike Thornton as Jack Dunn and Stephen Stout as Wade Henry.
Awards/Recognition
COOLER has been nominated in three categories as part of BroadwayWorld Tampa Awards 2025: Best New Play Or Musical, Best Play and Best Scenic Design Of A Play Or Musical.
Reviews/Recommendations
"Houk tackles toxic masculinity with his accustomed caustic wit and singularly off-kilter view of the world, and proves once again he can write straight male characters with strength, heft, and grit while being unforgiving of their sometimes idiotic foibles."
"With a setting and characters that seem to have stepped out of the glorious golden age of stage and screen, we're thrust into a "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf" type atmosphere riding along on one whiskey after another as the characters open a new pack of playing cards in an attempt to start afresh. But can they? Houk offers up some great comic lines which buffer the tension that builds, and the pathetic fallacy throughout will leave an audience on the edge of their seats."
"Gripping and hilarious. A must-see for anyone who loves razor-sharp dialogue and late-night secrets."
"Cooler pits two formerly famous actors against one another in a battle of wits, fists and egos. The small performance space at LAB has been transformed into a well-appointed man cave, and the action inside turns things delightfully claustrophobic."
"Cooler, despite its tragic underpinnings, is a dark comedy."
"The play delves into themes of toxic masculinity and the burdens of ego."
"A gripping narrative that challenges its characters in a night filled with tension."
"There's a lot of posturing, bluffing and sly card sharkery of the darkest kind in Cooler." - Bill DeYoung, The St. Pete Catalyst
LAB Theater Project (Tampa, FL/Ybor City - 2025)
REMINDER: No presentation or production of COOLER, in whole or in part, is allowed unless permission is granted by the playwright or his designated agents.