Cockeye(D) by Duncan Pflaster

When a 23-year-old movie actor claims that an older director molested him when he was 15, it ruins the director's film career, and he vows revenge. Finding work in theatre, the director begins an all-male adaptation of The Bacchae. When the actor hears the director has been telling people the molestation never happened, he also vows revenge, and attempts to infiltrate the play. An adaptation of The Bacchae based around current events.
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Cockeye(D)

Recommended by

  • Rachel Feeny-Williams:
    8 Jul. 2021
    “ I sometimes think dark theatre gets a very bad rep. An audience doesn't always want to roll on the floor with laughter, sometimes they need to think and sometimes they need to feel. That is precisely what this play gives you, a roller coaster of feeling! Any audience seeing this piece I feel would be privileged to witness this deeply emotional and very socially relevant piece. ”
  • Jarred Corona:
    9 May. 2021
    “ I'm unsure how to explain my thoughts without unloading unnecessary trauma . I can surely say the writing is great. Pflaster sure knows exactly how to compose a verse and bring life to speech. Full characters. Catharsis, perhaps. Catharsis is what I can say. Few pieces of media of any sort have given me terribly strong emotion. The last time I cried at a play was "Tribes" by Nina Raine. I'm... somewhere, at the moment. Scared, I move, and survive. Thank you for giving me a show to survive. I hope you read this as sincere compliment, because it is. ”
  • Mark Loewenstern:
    2 Jun. 2020
    “ Not just a devastating revenge story. Not just a canny depiction of the claims and counter-claims that come when abuse is alleged. Pflaster here launches a searing investigation into the mutual sexual jealousy between young and old, between vitality and experience. ”
View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

DENNIS KIRKLAND: M, 40s, a filmmaker and theatre artist.

HARVEY LEPORELLO: M, 40s, his nerdish confidante and manager.

CORUM DIAMOND: M, 30s, a playwright.

FRANKLIN GABRIEL: M, 20s, a wacky rakish actor. Something appealingly feral about him.

JOSH EPSTEIN: M, 20S, a more full-figured, bro-y actor, Franklin’s frequent costar.

SCOTT PITTS: M, 20s, a prettyboy actor, somewhat new to Hollywood; friends with Franklin and Josh.

CHORUS: M, any age, 6 to 20 nearly-naked men who will play ACTORS in the play-in-a-play, as well as all the other roles: CLERK, KEVIN, CHRISTY, ALONSO, MATT, BOBBY, JOEY, LENNY, TIM, CURT, JACK, WOODY, RODNEY, KYLE, STEVEN, CHELSEA, CLINT, DAVE, WILLIAM, DONNA, BASIL, CLIVE, CHORUS LEADER

  • Dennis Kirkland
    40s,
    Any (but probably white)
    ,
    Male
    A filmmaker and theatre artist. Accused of molesting a male teenager who has now grown up to be a movie star and found his voice.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Franklin Gabriel
    20s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    A wacky rakish movie actor. Something appealingly feral about him. Kinda bicurious.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Corum Diamond
    30s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    A playwright; geek for classical theatre
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Josh Epstein
    20s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Franklin's best buddy, also an actor, who's been in a ton of movies with him. more full-figured and bro-y.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Scott Pitts
    20s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Very pretty actor, suddenly a big deal in Hollywood, but still very naive about it.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Harvey Leporello
    40s-50s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Dennis' manager. Kind of nerdy and thirsty
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Chorus
    Any Age,
    Any
    ,
    Any (but probably Male)
    7 to 20 half-naked men who will play all the other roles in the play, with as much doubling as you prefer.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any adult age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    SFEAGLE Players
    ,
    2023
  • Reading
    ,
    Turn to Flesh Productions
    ,
    2018
  • Reading
    ,
    TOSOS - The Other Side of Silence
    ,
    2018
  • Reading
    ,
    EMG Playwright Group
    ,
    2017