3 Female, 2 Male • Two Act/Full Length • ~120 Mins
Next Stage Press
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Next Stage Press
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Next Stage Press
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Synopsis
Years before the horrific mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando in 2016, thirty-two men perished in an arson attack at a gay bar in New Orleans on June 24, 1973, a fire set by one of their own. On that same evening, Sydney “Syd” Trahan, a young nursing student, is taken into custody for dancing at Brady’s, a notorious lesbian bar in the French Quarter nearby. Immediately following her arrest, Syd’s parents, Bud and Helen, struggle to gain control over their lives and to restore normalcy. At the same time, their neighbors, Beau and Beverly Larson, are hiding their own dark secrets that intertwine with both the fire and Syd’s arrest. While Syd demands the chance to be the person she’s meant to be, the Trahans and Larsons are forced to face the truth.
Playwright Note
Many of my plays feature multifaceted American women of various ages who are altogether shrewd, resourceful, determined, comic, resilient, empathetic, fearless, and unconventional. SYD is no exception.
It’s important to note that while historically women were required to adhere to certain behaviors, roles, norms, and values, they also – particularly in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries but undoubtedly throughout history – challenged those expectations, in understated ways at times but then certainly more overtly and in much larger numbers, and chiefly as we progressed into the 1960s.
When I began examining the history of early 1970s New Orleans, and particularly the queer culture of that period, I was devastated to learn that, on the evening of Sunday, June 24th, 1973, thirty-two men perished in a fire set by one of their own at The Upstairs Lounge, a sanctuary bar for working-class homosexual men on Iberville Street at the edge of the French Quarter. That true tragic event became a fittingly ominous backdrop to SYD, the story of a young nursing student unwittingly coming into her own during the rise of the gay liberation movement.
SYD is neither a political statement nor a religious argument, but rather a very personal story with fully drawn characters who are bending – and sometimes breaking – while trying to hold on tightly to their faith in an ever-evolving world. That said, if I’m able to change someone’s mind in some small, positive way by giving them the chance to connect with these flawed but well-intentioned humans, then I’ve accomplished something worthwhile.
Finally, and most importantly, SYD would not exist had I never met and been blessed with the chance to spend some quality time with Diana Smith, a firecracker of a human being with a big heart and a great sense of humor. I met Diana in the summer of 2019, and she told me a story that simultaneously surprised me and tugged at my heart strings. That story lives in this play as its central plot.
It’s important to note that while historically women were required to adhere to certain behaviors, roles, norms, and values, they also – particularly in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries but undoubtedly throughout history – challenged those expectations, in understated ways at times but then certainly more overtly and in much larger numbers, and chiefly as we progressed into the 1960s.
When I began examining the history of early 1970s New Orleans, and particularly the queer culture of that period, I was devastated to learn that, on the evening of Sunday, June 24th, 1973, thirty-two men perished in a fire set by one of their own at The Upstairs Lounge, a sanctuary bar for working-class homosexual men on Iberville Street at the edge of the French Quarter. That true tragic event became a fittingly ominous backdrop to SYD, the story of a young nursing student unwittingly coming into her own during the rise of the gay liberation movement.
SYD is neither a political statement nor a religious argument, but rather a very personal story with fully drawn characters who are bending – and sometimes breaking – while trying to hold on tightly to their faith in an ever-evolving world. That said, if I’m able to change someone’s mind in some small, positive way by giving them the chance to connect with these flawed but well-intentioned humans, then I’ve accomplished something worthwhile.
Finally, and most importantly, SYD would not exist had I never met and been blessed with the chance to spend some quality time with Diana Smith, a firecracker of a human being with a big heart and a great sense of humor. I met Diana in the summer of 2019, and she told me a story that simultaneously surprised me and tugged at my heart strings. That story lives in this play as its central plot.
Production History
SYD received its world premiere production at Lab Theater Project (Tampa, FL) opening on Friday, February 22nd, 2024 and closing on Sunday, March 10th, 2024. Directed by Owen Robertson, the cast featured Mandy Keen as Sydney "Syd" Trahan, Tiffany Faykus as Helen Trahan, James Skinner as Robert "Bud" Trahan, Isabel Bertram as Beverly Larson, and John D. Hooper as Beauregard "Beau" Larson.
Development History
SYD received a public developmental reading as part of Lab Theater Project's 2023 Summer Concert Readings. The cast featured Heather Cole as Helen Trahan, Nathan Juliano as Bud Trahan, CC Ventura as Sydney Trahan, Katie Calahan as Beverly Larson, and Larry Corwin as Beau Larson.
Awards/Recognition
None to date.
Reviews
"From the “good things come in small packages” file, an incisive, emotional script, an engaging and committed cast and brisk, clear direction make SYD, the new show at Ybor City’s tiny LAB Theatre Project, a major accomplishment." - Bill DeYoung, The St. Pete Catalyst
“It’s a slow burn, with a great act one/into act two question and a perfect closing image. I loved every word of this piece.”
“The characters are written with humor, salt, specificity, and empathy. A compassionate and thoughtful work.”
“The greatest strength of the piece lies in Houk’s sure-footed characterizations of the main players.”
“Houk pulls you in with the complexity and strength of the characters. A truly compelling and heart-breaking story.”
“Syd is a play, a character, and perhaps a warning. Lush dialogue and dialect place this play in a New Orleans of the not-so-distant past and raise familiar issues of family and acceptance. An important story, very well told.”
“It’s a slow burn, with a great act one/into act two question and a perfect closing image. I loved every word of this piece.”
“The characters are written with humor, salt, specificity, and empathy. A compassionate and thoughtful work.”
“The greatest strength of the piece lies in Houk’s sure-footed characterizations of the main players.”
“Houk pulls you in with the complexity and strength of the characters. A truly compelling and heart-breaking story.”
“Syd is a play, a character, and perhaps a warning. Lush dialogue and dialect place this play in a New Orleans of the not-so-distant past and raise familiar issues of family and acceptance. An important story, very well told.”
LAB Theater Project (Tampa, FL/Ybor City - 2024)
