One of my favorite Los Angeles theatre experiences last year was seeing a new play written by and starring my pal, Terry Ray ("My Sister Is So Gay," "From Here On Out"), called "Electricity," which follows the relationship of two gay men through four decades. It tells the story of "Gary," who is still a virgin in 1983 when he attends his 10th high school reunion. He was so tormented as a teen that he returns to his hometown of Chillicothe, Ohio pretending to be married. Gary offers to share his hotel room with his long-secret crush, "Brad," who is busy drowning his own pain and insecurities in sex, booze, and drugs. This unlikely pair has a connection that draws them back to that same hotel room and each other after every reunion for the next 30 years. Gay life changed drastically between 1983 and 2013, and that is mirrored in Brad and Gary’s story in surprising ways.
"I think many of us gay men of a certain age can relate to their journey. It began the moment we realized we were gay, which left us feeling isolated and ashamed. And our story continues even now as we constantly evolve into a bold community that demands and fights for our equality. It’s a journey that requires decades to tell and that is exactly what I tried to capture with this play," says Terry.
ELECTRICITY enjoyed an extended 11 week run to stellar reviews in Los Angeles. Now Terry Ray and producer Michael Darner are raising the stakes even higher by moving the play into a real hotel room as an immersive theater piece at the popular gay resort INNdulge in Palm Springs. The exclusive 20 member audience for each performance have been raving about the show. They begin in the hotel lobby as classmates at the reunion and then proceed to room no. 21, where they are flies on the wall as this very funny, sexy and unexpectedly moving story envelopes them. Talented and handsome Mel England("Ron And Laura Take Back America," "Child of the '70s") joins the cast.
The next performances are November 9, 10 & 11. More dates will soon be added. For information and tickets go to www.ElectricityThePlay.com Shows sell out so be sure to buy tickets in advance.
