The Cleanup

by Hallie Palladino

Seeking community post-quarantine, Nicole volunteers for Sunday night toy cleaning crew at The Learning Co-Op where preschool parents covertly socialize under a COVID-acceptable halo of sanitation. There, she falls for the ruggedly reassuring Logan, a hot, practically-divorced super dad who can build a house, fix a stroller, and bake a pie. To get close to him, she becomes TLC’s star volunteer causing Ryan and...

Seeking community post-quarantine, Nicole volunteers for Sunday night toy cleaning crew at The Learning Co-Op where preschool parents covertly socialize under a COVID-acceptable halo of sanitation. There, she falls for the ruggedly reassuring Logan, a hot, practically-divorced super dad who can build a house, fix a stroller, and bake a pie. To get close to him, she becomes TLC’s star volunteer causing Ryan and Julie, the school's burnt out founders, to tap her as their replacement. Behind the scenes, infighting, betrayal, and deception threaten. A dark comedy about friendship, loyalty, and parents behaving badly.

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The Cleanup

Recommended by

  • Stephanie Alison Walker: The Cleanup

    I'm very particular about parenting plays and this one gets it. It's real, complex, hilarious, specific, so very relatable and inquisitive. Hallie Palladino gets underneath what's at the heart of struggles for parents and friendships. There's no re-packaging old stereotypes here, but unearthing truths and searching for catharsis. The Cleanup is a wonderful ride of a play with huge stakes, delicious relationships, beautiful metaphor and imagery and a satisfying catharsis.

    I'm very particular about parenting plays and this one gets it. It's real, complex, hilarious, specific, so very relatable and inquisitive. Hallie Palladino gets underneath what's at the heart of struggles for parents and friendships. There's no re-packaging old stereotypes here, but unearthing truths and searching for catharsis. The Cleanup is a wonderful ride of a play with huge stakes, delicious relationships, beautiful metaphor and imagery and a satisfying catharsis.

  • Thomas Einstein: The Cleanup

    *maybe spoilers*

    I saw this live in Chicago and thought it was extraordinary. It showed how people in groups relate to each other in a really realistic way--it captured something true to me that I haven't seen on stage--then took a turn I wasn't expecting and which has really provoked me. I'm also dazzled by how it took a low key circumstance and found depth and insight.

    *maybe spoilers*

    I saw this live in Chicago and thought it was extraordinary. It showed how people in groups relate to each other in a really realistic way--it captured something true to me that I haven't seen on stage--then took a turn I wasn't expecting and which has really provoked me. I'm also dazzled by how it took a low key circumstance and found depth and insight.

  • MT Cozzola: The Cleanup

    Smart. Suspense. Surprising. Proximity Play is all those things. BUT ALSO, I feel like when staged, so many parents will watch and feel like, AT LAST SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS MY CHALLENGES. I think this play will make a lot of people feel good--and yes, that's despite or along with the pain we feel for what some of the characters experience. It will make the audience feel loved and understood, which is one of the most awesome things a play can do, in my opinion.

    Smart. Suspense. Surprising. Proximity Play is all those things. BUT ALSO, I feel like when staged, so many parents will watch and feel like, AT LAST SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS MY CHALLENGES. I think this play will make a lot of people feel good--and yes, that's despite or along with the pain we feel for what some of the characters experience. It will make the audience feel loved and understood, which is one of the most awesome things a play can do, in my opinion.

Character Information

2W/2M -- please cast this play in accordance with the WSYWAT guidance.
  • Logan
    Logan is a straight, male, "practically divorced" co-parenting father of one.
    Character Age
    30s-40s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Ryan
    Ryan is a queer, married, father of 3 and the co-founder of The Learning Co-Op with Julie.
    Character Age
    30s-40s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Nicole
    Nicole is a pandemic weary mother of two toddlers, emerging from quarantine.
    Character Age
    30s-40s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Julie
    Julie is a mother of three and the co-founder of The Learning Co-Op, a sliding scale, parent run, half-day, nursery school.
    Character Age
    30s-40s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female

Development History

Production History

Awards

  • Nominee
    Script Awards Los Angeles
    2022