The Prying

by Gillian Beth Durkee

To escape a bad relationship, Ray joins her friend Eleanor on a trip home to visit Eleanor's parents. An old friend of Eleanor's, Nat, shows up unexpectedly, asking for help with a mysterious woman she has recently befriended. As Eleanor's attentions are redirected away from Ray, and the cracks in their friendship start to show, Ray must reckon with her aloneness and the influence Eleanor had on her decision to...

To escape a bad relationship, Ray joins her friend Eleanor on a trip home to visit Eleanor's parents. An old friend of Eleanor's, Nat, shows up unexpectedly, asking for help with a mysterious woman she has recently befriended. As Eleanor's attentions are redirected away from Ray, and the cracks in their friendship start to show, Ray must reckon with her aloneness and the influence Eleanor had on her decision to leave her ex.

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The Prying

Recommended by

  • Shaun Leisher: The Prying by Gillian Beth Durkee
    “

    I loved this play and all it's saying about human nature. That final scene is a killer.

    I loved this play and all it's saying about human nature. That final scene is a killer.

    ”
  • Tina Esper: The Prying by Gillian Beth Durkee
    “

    Filled with fluid, seductive language and beautifully drawn characters, The Prying is a wonderful existential ode to the virtues and failings of friendship in an era where questions of trust are endemic to everyday life.

    Filled with fluid, seductive language and beautifully drawn characters, The Prying is a wonderful existential ode to the virtues and failings of friendship in an era where questions of trust are endemic to everyday life.

    ”
  • Alicia Margarita Olivo: The Prying by Gillian Beth Durkee
    “

    Durkee captures the sickening, creeping realization that sometimes is not alright in your closest friendships. Despite their flaws and hidden intentions, each character is someone who you can't help but see yourself in. The Prying is one of those rare plays that makes you want to immediately journal about your own personal life as soon as you set the script down.

    Durkee captures the sickening, creeping realization that sometimes is not alright in your closest friendships. Despite their flaws and hidden intentions, each character is someone who you can't help but see yourself in. The Prying is one of those rare plays that makes you want to immediately journal about your own personal life as soon as you set the script down.

    ”
View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

  • Ray
    35. Female. Vague rocker vibes. A city person, through-and-through. Ray is short for something, but she’ll never tell you what.
    35
    Any
    Female or Non-binary female presenting
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Eleanor
    27. Female. Preppy hip. Really wants you to think she is
    dependable.
    27
    Any
    Female or Non-binary female presenting
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Nat
    27. Female. Seven years sober. The kind of person you
    might describe as “salt of the earth.”
    27
    Any
    Female or Non-binary female presenting
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Donna
    55. Female. Commanding. An enigma of a person. Wants you to think she can guide you home.
    55
    Any
    Female or Non-binary female presenting
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary

Awards