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Wet Brain

Deep in the suburbs of Arizona, three trainwreck siblings are charged with the care of their trainwreck father, who may or may not live a secret alien life. John J. Caswell, Jr.’s brutally funny new play pierces one family’s emotional void as they search the cosmos to find a common language.

More information

Description

  • Full Length Play
  • Dark Comedy
  • 105 minutes

  • Target Audience: Adult
  • Cautions: Alcohol, Drugs, Smoking, Intense Adult Themes, Strong Language

  • Performance Group:
  • Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups, Professional Theatre
Inspired by true events and hopeless imaginings, Wet Brain is a play about three distant siblings and their father’s possible repeat abductions by extraterrestrials during the height of his end-stage alcoholism. With recovery unlikely, organs failing, and Dad's death all but imminent, Ricky, Ron and Angelina look for a final closure many, many light years away.
REVIEWS:

"A very funny, pitch-black comedy about addiction and obligation, love and abandonment."

The New York Times

"A very funny, pitch-black comedy about addiction and obligation, love and abandonment, and patterns of poisonous behavior lodged so deep they seem encoded. ... John J. Caswell, Jr.’s writing is an act of resistance to the constraints of theatrical convention."

The New York Times

"An otherworldly look at generational trauma... offers a gripping, grating look at alcoholism and its effects on loved ones... genre-bending... it moves between comedy, tragedy and horror."

New York Theatre Guide

"Equal parts heart-stopping and heart-wrenching."

Vogue

"A compelling portrait of family dysfunction... This play will take you to unexpected places."

Theatermania

"This is a play that’s comfortable leaving a lot of gaping wounds bleeding while still being quite funny... it all provides a way for the play to reach out beyond the patterns these characters are trapped in, and see something hopeful out there in the stars."

Vulture

"A wild ride... completely off the rails in a very good way... Spoiler alert: Wet Brain may contain the funniest line uttered in any new play this year or last."

The Wrap

Premiere Production: Wet Brain premiered off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons on May 19, 2023. Directed by Dustin Wills, the production featured Frankie J. Alvarez, Ceci Fernández, Florencia Lozano, Julio Monge and Arturo Luís Soria.

Characters

  • Casting: 3M, 2F
  • Casting Attributes: Role(s) for Latine Actor(s), Ensemble cast

  • JOE – Dad. Age 59.
    RICKY – Joe’s son. Age 33.
    RON – Joe’s son. Age 37.
    ANGELINA – Joe’s daughter. Age 27.
    MONA – Mother of Rick, Ron, Angelina.
    CRYSTAL* – Home health aide.
    VARIOUS RECORDED VOICES

  • *Played by actor portraying MONA.

    • Available Material

    Name Price
    Wet Brain Script This is optional. Order Now

     

    		 $24.95

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