The Thing They Love

World Premiere

Written by Parker Goodreau, BFA ’21

Directed by Esme Allen

An alluring drama about trust, gender, love and money, Goodreau’s The Thing They Love takes inspiration from Mae West’s 1927 dramatization, The Drag. Set in prohibition-era New York City, a big, queer family assembles with familiar yet complicated problems. They must navigate the difference between the world they love, and the world outside their doorstep by learning to protect each other. Ultimately the consequences of deception puts their family, old and new, in jeopardy.

Parker Goodreau graduated from Salem State University in the spring of 2021 with a BFA in Theatre, with a concentration in playwriting and a minor in English. They started writing when they were twelve, and no one has convinced them to stop yet. They are also an actor and visual artist. Much of their work deals with queer themes, fantasy, and community. They are a bookseller in Vermont, where they are working on a children’s novel.

For mature audiences, not suitable for young children.