←Recommendations of Hey

Something as mundane as underwear shopping becomes so much more through the lens of Vince Gatton. As touching as it is comedic.

The natural, effortless tension of this play! In Vince Gatton’s “Hey”, Wade is pulled in multiple directions, by his fears, desires and an underwear model of few words but a variety of evocative inflections. A delicate balancing act for the actors and writer himself, “Hey” demonstrates Gatton’s skill for writing rich, concise narratives with great power and humor.

I love Gatton’s plays and this glimpse of the equally awkward and exciting “coming of age” process for so many of us little gay boys beautifully captures the good, the bad, and the ugly. I love the device he sets up with Calvin and how only Wade can see him. Thank you for this wonderful short!

Achingly true to that moment of self-discovery where who Wade realizes he is is something he desperately don't want to be. Wade's seemingly callow mother offers a moving sort of acceptance, ultimately allowing Wade to come to terms with his new-found sense of self. This play is also very funny and very theatrical in its staging possibilities.

Vince Gatton’s plays are always so consistently wonderful. There are a lot of stories about teenagers realizing that they are definitely, absolutely gay, but they’re rarely this creative and fun - and simultaneously stressful and sweet. All three roles would be fun for an actor, especially the actor playing a box of Calvin Klein underwear (THAT’S RIGHT) who only utters the word “Hey,” but imbues it with a zillion different meanings.

A lovely play that beautifully dramatizes that moment of awakening that every queer teen has had at some point or another, where suddenly something they see hits them like a lightning bolt of a glimpse at what the world could be. Here, Wade spots a pair of Calvin Klein underwear, played by a monosyllabic actor who draws on his fascination. Worst of all, mom is right THERE. This is a piece that tugs at those confusing days, but in the piece's conclusion, we're certain that there are brighter, steadier days ahead for Wade. Well done.

Absolutely lovely. The dynamic and character’s worlds are so very clear in their possibility and precipice, and individual stories, respectively. I always marvel at a playwright’s imagination in non-literal use of things, such as mannequins, to illustrate a greater, bigger happening.
And, a mother’s love is everything, it is steadfast, the location, vocation, class rank file be damned.
YES.

I love nothing more than reading a play that makes me gasp, laugh, cheer, and sob. “Hey” is one of those plays. Playwright Vince Gatton takes the psychological horror of being a confused and closeted teenager in Kentucky in the early 80s and puts it all out there - on full and glorious display. The result is both heartbreaking and hopeful - oh, and funny! “Hey” also deftly exposes the sometimes-excruciating impact that unrestrained commercialism can have on our youth. There is most defiantly a lot to unpack in this 10-minute gem that does absolutely everything that theatre does best.

This is a fantastic, moving, slice-of-life piece that perfectly captures the burgeoning longing of queer youth and the shame that too often comes with it. It's also a realistic and yet, somehow, idyllic representation of how parents and family can unknowingly shape the paths queer kids take.

This was a really well-done and well-paced story about family love and LGBTQ youth in rural America. Both the mother and son were well-developed in the short time that we spend with them and the play was both subtle and direct in the ten minutes we spend with the characters. One thing that particularly stuck out to me in a good w was the quality of the mother's dialogue. Her voice felt so uniquely distinct. It's a really interesting premise and set-up and the playwright did an excellent job!