REALS

Jack has worked hard to develop his “real-life superhero” persona. He works out every day, hones his skills as a former member of the Coast Guard, and devotes endless hours to perfecting his costume. Now, as Nightlife—the man who brings life to the night—he’s ready to start fighting crime. Or at least… he thinks he is. With his partner and confidant, Laney—a reluctant hero named Belt with advanced martial arts...
Jack has worked hard to develop his “real-life superhero” persona. He works out every day, hones his skills as a former member of the Coast Guard, and devotes endless hours to perfecting his costume. Now, as Nightlife—the man who brings life to the night—he’s ready to start fighting crime. Or at least… he thinks he is. With his partner and confidant, Laney—a reluctant hero named Belt with advanced martial arts training—he’s assembling a team to walk the streets at night and start attacking crime head-on. He has zeal, big muscles, and a superhero code to live up to… but not much more. When Jack and Laney start interviewing potential team members, however, the façade of their crazy ambitions begins to crumble. Deceit, lies, and secrets slowly unravel their trust, until a shocking act of real violence perpetrated by Sensei—the first hero they consider adding to the team—reveals the truth Nightlife has been hiding beneath his suddenly very flimsy mask, cape, and nickname.

“[A]n admirable engagement of a trope we just can’t seem to leave behind.” — Chris Klimek, Washington City Paper
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REALS

Recommended by

  • Lainie Vansant:
    29 Jul. 2021
    "The problem with superhero movies..." This play tackles the many "problems" with superhero movies -- the false dichotomy between good and evil, the complacency they inspire, and the impracticality of capes -- while still displaying love for the genre in general and hope for those of us who are stuck being "REALS." It's a lot of fun but also makes you think, and it's a perfect script for a University black box. Check it out!
  • Sheila Cowley:
    29 Jul. 2015
    A very grown-up look at the question we all ask ourselves as kids - what kind of superhero could I be? A layered and compelling story full of unexpected turns, as people ask whether they could do hero-work for real, without imagined super-powers. Exciting, intriguing, funny, impassioned and heartbreaking.
  • David Hilder:
    16 Jul. 2015
    A terrific exploration of core concepts of good and evil that's suitable for audiences of many ages. Subverting the superhero genre to the ends of a deeper look at our unconscious desires to do right AND wrong is a matter for a deft writer to tackle, and Suilebhan is clearly just that.

Character Information

  • Nightlife/Jack
    late 20s,
    White
    ,
    Male
  • Belt/Laney
    mid 20s,
    Female
  • Sensei
    late 20s,
    Male
  • Girl
    early 20s,
    Female

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    HotCity Theatre
    ,
    2011
  • Reading
    ,
    Artists Bloc
    ,
    2011
  • Workshop
    ,
    HotCity Theatre
    ,
    2011

Production History

  • University
    ,
    Ball State University Department of Theatre and Dance
    ,
    2019
  • Workshop
    ,
    Taffety Punk Theatre Company
    ,
    2012