Nu Sass Productions
Washington, DC
Comedy/ 6 Characters, 3 Women, 3 Men (3 actors total; 4 of the characters are played by 1 actor)/ Full Length, 90 mins.
Synopsis: When frenemy nail techs Cha-Cha and Katie are privileged to hear a favorite customer’s bizarre dying wish, they set off to make it come true. In their quest to find Neil Patrick Harris, they discover that what they’ve been searching for has been right in front of them.
From Washington City Paper: “The quest begins at a spa in upstate New York (Hoke’s script suggests Buffalo, where she lives), where two nail technicians, Katie and Cha-Cha are giving a mani-pedi to Lucio, a favorite among their regular clients. There’s a certain rivalry between the two techs as they vie for Lucio’s attention, whether it’s Katie talking about the altercation her daughter had at school, or the five TV pilots Cha-Cha has written that no studio will buy, or the sardonic names Cha-Cha gives to gel nail colors. It’s a favorite way for Lucio to unwind before heading home to his husband. When the discussion turns to the application of makeup for funerals, Lucio notes that he wishes to be cremated and to have his ashes flung at the Doogie Howser, M.D. and How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris to make up for not connecting with the famous actor at a party many years in the past.
“As Katie and Cha-Cha bicker, Lucio suddenly dies. It’s one of many bits of morbid physical comedy in this show . . . . What follows are Katie and Cha-Cha’s misadventures as they attempt to follow through with Lucio’s final wish, while getting on each other’s nerves.”
“Fun and funny.” – Broadway World
“Taboo-breaking comedy.” – Washington City Paper
“Extremely entertaining . . . . plenty of laughter.” – mdtheatreguide.com
“A deliciously sweet and introspective comedy wherein the action of the play is driven by . . . wait for it . . . no guessing . . . here it is . . . WOMEN! Yes, two delightful gals sally-forth, trailing the ashes of their dead buddy, Lucio, and inadvertently sprinkling him, well, all over the place. You’ll love this play.”
– Testimonial on the New Play Exchange
Most of Finding Neil Patrick Harris 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.
Finding Neil Patrick Harris was first produced by Nu Sass Productions, Washington, DC, in April, 2023.
“Fantastic, funny play!”
“Funny at a time when we all need it, this play has at its core a friendship between two working class women that we don’t see on the stage often enough.”
– Testimonials on the New Play Exchange