The Couple Next Door by Donna Hoke

The Couple Next Door

Comedy-Drama/ 4 Characters, 2 Men, 2 Women/ Full Length, Two Acts

Synopsis:
After ten years of marriage, Sadie and Vance are experiencing the all too familiar trials that arise when lovers become parents, job and home responsibilities become never-ending, and alone time becomes scarce. To Sadie’s further frustration, reticent Vance refuses to acknowledge — or discuss — any of them. Next door, demographic equals Janet and Rich have fared much better; their happy marriage is full of passion, love, empathy — and multiple sex partners.

When the ever-ready Rich overhears Vance and “hot burrito” Sadie having wild sex, he’s intrigued, and determines to invite the couple over to test the waters. Janet is also curious, but hesitant: They live so close, what if it goes bad, and why is Rich so insistent? Through a comedic series of events, Sadie and Vance arrive at the Lewis house one Fun Friday, hoping that — as they’ve read on-line — a “just sex” evening of swinging will open up communication and elevate them to a new level of closeness.

All appears to go well . . . until the morning after. At the Nelson house, Janet senses the encounter with their new playmates was a little off, while Rich — dazedly fondling Sadie’s left-behind underwear — feels something is definitely on. At the Lewis’, the experiment has seemingly proved a bust: The couple is barely talking, and it’s clear that Sadie is more pissed at her husband than ever.

In the ensuing days, Janet’s suspicions grow, and Rich visits Sadie to confess that she made him feel something he never has before. While Sadie insists it was “just sex,” Vance gets a cryptic visit from Janet that makes him realize his marriage is on the line. That night, Vance and Sadie bond after he digs deep to reveal his feelings about what happened last Friday, and the two take tentative steps toward reconciliation, which include a new start. Crushed, Rich nonetheless recognizes the need to recommit to his family, albeit with the unsettling knowledge that there might be more to love — and sex — than he’s ever known.

“Playwright Hoke can write: dialogue flows naturally, real people saying real things . . . . the story has verve, it lives and breathes.”
The Buffalo News

“The play challenges notions of what defines a stable relationship . . . . We see characters learn about themselves and learn about their relationships in surprising ways. That is the pleasure of The Couple Next Door.”
Artvoice

Read it Now
A portion of The Couple Next Door may be read by clicking on the “Read It Now” button above. To obtain a complete reading copy, contact the playwright at donna@donnahoke.com

Contact Information:
Amateur and professional rights:
Donna Hoke
donna@donnahoke.com
Ph.: 973-919-2038
Playwright’s website: donnahoke.com
Representation: Patricia McLaughlin, Beacon Agency
beaconagency@hotmail.com
212-736-6630

About the Playwright: Donna’s work has been seen in 47 states and on five continents, including at Barrington Stage, Barrow Group, Celebration Theatre, Gulfshore Theatre, Queens Theatre, The Road, Writers Theatre New Jersey, Phoenix Theatre, Atlantic Stage, Purple Rose, Skylight, Pride Films and Plays, New Jersey Rep, Hens and Chickens (London), The Galway Fringe Festival, and Actors Repertory Theatre of Luxembourg. Plays include BRILLIANT WORKS OF ART (Kilroys List), ELEVATOR GIRL (O’Neill and Princess Grace finalist), SAFE (winner of the Todd McNerney, Naatak, and Great Gay Play and Musical Contests), and TEACH (Gulfshore New Works winner). She has been nominated for the Primus, Blackburn, and Laura Pels prizes, and is a three-time winner of the Emanuel Fried Award for Outstanding New Play (SEEDS, SONS & LOVERS, ONCE IN MY LIFETIME). She has also received an Individual Artist Award from the New York State Council on the Arts to develop HEARTS OF STONE, and, in its final three years, Artvoice named her Buffalo’s Best Writer—the only woman to ever receive the designation. 

Donna also serves on the Dramatists Guild Council, is an ensemble playwright at Road Less Traveled Productions, blogger, moderator of the 12,000+-member Official Playwrights of Facebook, New York Times-published crossword puzzle constructor; children’s and trivia book author; and founder/co-curator of BUA Takes 10: GLBT Short Stories. Speaking engagements include Citywrights, Kenyon Playwrights Conference, the Dramatists Guild National Conference, Chicago Dramatists, the Austin Film Festival, and a live Dramatists Guild webinar. Her commentary has been seen on #2amt, howlround, The Dramatist, the Official Playwrights of Facebook, Workshopping the New Play (Applause, 2017), and at donnahoke.com.

The Couple Next Door premiered at The Road Less Traveled Theatre, Buffalo, NY, in September, 2010.