←Recommendations of WAKE

Complex relationships, vividly disturbing stories, and creepily convincing intimations of the supernatural come together in this expertly-written piece that keeps the audience guessing about what might really be going on. Gatton’s sharp ear for dialogue captures each character’s individual voice, and the well-observed domestic scenes feel personal and lived-in. But the play has larger resonances too: its scope expands almost imperceptibly as it examines and questions the bitter losses and hard-earned triumphs of the past several decades of American gay history. And it’s chock-full of fantastic audition monologues!

There are two things I love without reservation: ghost stories on stage and plays by Vince Gatton. The chilling atmosphere of this domestic thriller had me thoroughly creeped out by page three—in a good way. I love the way this play utilizes storytelling, both direct-address and within scenes, to help the audience put the pieces together. Though all the clues were there, the reversal felt like a magic trick. I also loved the moment the framing device came full circle. Ultimately, this is a strong, emotion-packed script about the power of our darkest stories, for better or for worse.

I am haunted by this twisty play about what haunts us. Grief, anxiety, activism are all mixed into what seems like a genuine ghost story. A play about the power of telling our stories, when we are ready to tell them. Makes me want to read more Vince Gatton plays!

This play is fabulous. It revolves around the idea of hauntings, whether actual, physical hauntings, or things we carry inside us that haunt us and just won't let us be. Like all Vince Gatton plays, it sucks you in from the start, and you spend the whole play trying to puzzle out what is going on, right alongside Eric. I really enjoyed Esme's podcast stories sprinkled throughout as well. With a small cast and simple set requirements, this would be an easy play to produce, and it should be produced often.

Stories, especially our personal histories, are powerful. What we choose to reveal or conceal can heal or hurt—ourselves and our relationships. Vince Gatton illustrates that power forcefully in this excellent examination of two people dealing with life-changing events—marriage, baby, removal to a totally different environment. I highly recommend this beautiful, haunting play.

Is it a ghost story or is it the past returning to haunt Dan and Eric? They have a life together, a new baby, good friends who support them... and then moments of darkness creep in. Where are they coming from? The lost love, the pain of remembrance, or could it be something even deeper? Vince Gatton weaves a tale that is worthy of the best suspense tales in that he never lets us get ahead of the tale: we hang on every moment.

WAKE was selected for the 2021-22 Salon Reading Series Season by Angels Theatre Company under the theme Anagnorisis.
Vince Gatton describes his play WAKE as a ghost story for a post-AIDS generation. However, the ghost story in WAKE is not simply a matter of spirits and the super-natural. It is the embodiment of haunting–of being haunted. Through a clever story-telling device introduced at the beginning of the play, Gatton explores the depth of haunting that goes beyond a simple super-natural presence. He explores the haunting of history, of experience, and of one’s own past. Highly Recommended.

A creepy, twisty, and emotional rollercoaster of a play, “Wake” fires on all cylinders. It draws you into a world of love, betrayal, and the supernatural in a wonderfully and completely natural way. Great dialogue and fantastic challenges for actors and designers alike. Stellar work.

A particularly spooky play with a surprising twist. Not wanting to give anything away, but the play works all the angles, bringing up some excellent ghost stories to set the mood, yet staying within an emotional journey that we follow to a satisfying conclusion. This play would work for a Halloween/October program, or for any time of the year, really.

I have always found that the best ghost stories are connected to human psychology in all its complexity and honesty. This play hits that mark in the best ways. Gatton's wonderful work charts the landscape of human grief and the haunting nature of loss in a way that feels entirely organic and true. Sharply written, poignant monologues anchor the characters' journey. A series of short anecdotes are both enjoyable on their own and thematically relevant to the main narrative. Around the middle mark a character tells a story that is simply jaw dropping. Impressive work by Gatton.