Five Frickin Winters

Five Frickin Winters

Download "Five Frickin Winters" Excerpt (pdf)
https://newplayexchange.org/plays/1184680/five-frickin-winters
Edgy, Dark Comedy. 2F/2M. R.

Synopsis

Roger, a struggling writer, finds his life in a tailspin. He’s dead broke. His best friend’s wife has an out-of-control libido and keeps attempting to seduce him. His friend, oblivious to his wife’s flirting, tries to set Roger up with an inconceivable companion. And worst of all, he’s got no inspiration to write. Will Roger stave off his love-starved neighbor? Will he fall head-over-heels for un unlikely paramour? Will he leave his beloved Florida to endure five frickin winters in Minnesota? Or maybe, just maybe, this wild and wacky scenario will provide Roger with the very inspiration he craves.

Cast

ROGER Male; 60-ish, intelligent but some rough edges; in reasonably good shape. A writer and next-door neighbor to Kev and Kat.
CARM Female; 50s, bouncy, brainy, and brash. Employed as a golf pro.
KAT Female; 50s, a simmering, volatile brew of intensity. Employed as a nurse. Kev’s wife.
KEV Male; 60s, retired, simple, and amiably tottering through life.
COURIER (DOUBLING) Female; off-stage voice provided by Carm’s character.


Production History

November 2023 Staged Production, Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
February - March 2023 Staged Production, Attleboro Community Theatre, Attleboro, Massachusetts.
June 2022 Staged Production, The Viera Studio for the Performing Arts, Melbourne, Florida.


Commentary from Theatregoers and Readers

A great, complex play about the prickly pitfalls of romance and infidelity.
Ruyle gives some of the best flirtatious dialogue I've seen in a play in a long time. I was completely taken with this piece.
Strong, well-defined characters take us on a wild ride of love and lust, leading to an unexpectedly sweet (and maybe a little sad) finale.
A beautifully faceted gemstone.
Wonderful nuances, wit, and humor.
Sharply written with a glossy wit on the surface and conflicting emotions bubbling underneath like acid.
This play masterfully explores the themes of romance, aging, and other incredible real struggles while never holding back on the wit!