A PICTURE OF TWO BOYS by Nick Malakhow

FULL LENGTH: Markey and Pete are unlikely friends, the studious Markey with dreams of college and a life beyond the southeastern PA countryside, and the volatile Pete with drunkenly crafted fantasies about being the next Kurt Cobain. Brought together by their shared feelings of alienation in their mostly white and more than vaguely racist little town an hour and a half from Philly, the boys’ relationship...
FULL LENGTH: Markey and Pete are unlikely friends, the studious Markey with dreams of college and a life beyond the southeastern PA countryside, and the volatile Pete with drunkenly crafted fantasies about being the next Kurt Cobain. Brought together by their shared feelings of alienation in their mostly white and more than vaguely racist little town an hour and a half from Philly, the boys’ relationship fractures when Markey announces to Pete he’s hoping to graduate early and get out of the styx ASAP. We see these two boys first at that critical juncture, and then almost ten years later after they are reunited in the wake of a startling event that dredges up a connected trauma from their past.
CW: discussion of sexual abuse, suicide
(NEW DRAFT: 3/30/2024; I always welcome feedback)
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A PICTURE OF TWO BOYS

Recommended by

  • Lee R. Lawing:
    20 Feb. 2023
    “ We all have that friend that we remember fondly that we knew in junior high and high school. They are the ones who got us through those awful years of school, that we shared our secrets with and wanted to sometimes share more with them if only things had worked out differently for both. Malakhow takes us through one of those friendships with such poetry that we can we can still see all the possibilities of lifetimes lived and those not. ”
  • Sam Heyman:
    17 Sep. 2022
    “ A Picture Of Two Boys is a beautiful, heartrending portrait of friendship, adolescent pain and the way life pushes people together and pulls them apart. Malakhow’s characters feel organic and specific, their relationship both archetypal and nuanced, and the play itself lands emotional punches that sting. I love the contrast between Markey and Pete and their older counterparts and the way the script helps you understand how each boy grew into the man they became. Excellent play, not to be missed. ”
  • Paul Donnelly:
    9 Jun. 2022
    “ What a rich and multilayered exploration of the effects of sexual abuse on two boys and on the men they become. From the earliest beats these two boys are completely engaging and the effects of the racism they suffer are manifest. As more revelations ensue their complex relationship becomes even more gripping and their tentative steps toward healing even more uplifting. This is a play of great skill and heart. It deserves to be seen widely. ”
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Character Information

Pete/Peter and Markey/Marcus could be played with one actor each playing the characters at all ages. The roles may also be doled out to four actors. The script is written to reflect that younger/older versions of the characters might be onstage at the same time, but alternate suggestions are provided as well if the play is done with just two actors.

  • Markey
    16-17,
    African American / Black
    ,
    Male
    Skittish and scrawny (if not in size, then in temperament). Unfashionable, though he doesn’t care. Always wears long sleeves and pants. Black.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Marcus
    Late 20's,
    Black
    ,
    Male
    Markey later in life, appealing and very in shape. Controlled and somewhat avoidant. Makes eye contact when Markey would not have. Black.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Pete
    16-17,
    Latinx
    ,
    Male
    Brash and angry, but clams up if you say the wrong thing. His outfits of choice are band shirts he cuts the sleeves off, and he leans into that image. Naturally athletic. Latino.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Peter
    Late 20's,
    Latinx
    ,
    Male
    Pete later in life, disheveled. More frantic and nervous than he used to be. Latino.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Gender: 
      Male

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Mirrorbox Theatre
    ,
    2021
  • Reading
    ,
    Abingdon Theatre Company
    ,
    2020
  • Workshop
    ,
    The Quarantine Series
    ,
    2020
  • Workshop
    ,
    Skylight Theatre
    ,
    2020

Production History

Awards

Semi-Finalist
,
New American Voices Playwriting Festival
,
Landing Theatre Company
,
2021
Semi-Finalist
,
Garry Marshall Theatre New Works Festival
,
2020
Semi-Finalist
,
Cimientos (IATI)
,
2020
Winner
,
Raise Your Voice Playwright Competition
,
2020