Wilt

Updated 5/01/26

Evan is on the run. When he wraps his car around a tree, he’s rescued by two very different sisters and taken to their house. It's a place where objects appear at will, the walls are loud, and the flowers have their secrets. And then there's the stuffed elephant from his past that just won't go away. WILT is a gothic fairytale about want, food, and what nice guys ultimately deserve.

Updated 5/01/26

Evan is on the run. When he wraps his car around a tree, he’s rescued by two very different sisters and taken to their house. It's a place where objects appear at will, the walls are loud, and the flowers have their secrets. And then there's the stuffed elephant from his past that just won't go away. WILT is a gothic fairytale about want, food, and what nice guys ultimately deserve.

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Wilt

Recommended by

  • Dave Osmundsen: Wilt

    What a strange, fantastical, and shocking fantasy/horror this is! Shlichtman boldly and vividly constructs a world that reveals itself gradually, using fairy tale logic to build a landscape of whispering flowers, an obstinate kitchen, and a toy elephant. She has also written a haunting mystery that explores the limits of love, reciprocated or not, and deconstructs the persona of a "nice guy" to disturbing effect. Designers looking for a challenge will love this world, too. Haunting work!

    What a strange, fantastical, and shocking fantasy/horror this is! Shlichtman boldly and vividly constructs a world that reveals itself gradually, using fairy tale logic to build a landscape of whispering flowers, an obstinate kitchen, and a toy elephant. She has also written a haunting mystery that explores the limits of love, reciprocated or not, and deconstructs the persona of a "nice guy" to disturbing effect. Designers looking for a challenge will love this world, too. Haunting work!

  • Ian Donley: Wilt

    To quote Martin Scorsese, horror is at its best when it's rooted in emotional truth. And "Wilt" certainly honors that sentiment. Wilt is both poetic and gruesome, keeping the audience on edge from beginning and end. There's a lot of great commentary on masculinity, femininity, and how both of these things repel and attract each other. Any director will have a field day putting this on stage. There's a freedom expressed in this play that is inspiring to read.

    To quote Martin Scorsese, horror is at its best when it's rooted in emotional truth. And "Wilt" certainly honors that sentiment. Wilt is both poetic and gruesome, keeping the audience on edge from beginning and end. There's a lot of great commentary on masculinity, femininity, and how both of these things repel and attract each other. Any director will have a field day putting this on stage. There's a freedom expressed in this play that is inspiring to read.

  • Alaina Tennant: Wilt

    Isn't female rage just horribly wonderful? This is a beautifully paced, dark, and nuanced piece. The dialogue is engaging and creepy. I love how the characters are slowly revealed to be what they truly are - Evan even had me fooled in the very beginning. As an actress, this would be such a refreshing show to be able to work on. As a writer, it was incredibly interesting to read.

    Isn't female rage just horribly wonderful? This is a beautifully paced, dark, and nuanced piece. The dialogue is engaging and creepy. I love how the characters are slowly revealed to be what they truly are - Evan even had me fooled in the very beginning. As an actress, this would be such a refreshing show to be able to work on. As a writer, it was incredibly interesting to read.

View all 5 recommendations

Character Information

Note: Flowers can be props and Arlo’s voice or it can be an ensemble of actors. The house or rather the house’s ability to appear and disappear objects may also be embodied by an ensemble. Elephant can be Arlo's voice and a prop as well.
  • Daniela
    She/Her. The gatherer. Mostly sweet, earnest, romantic. She wants. She waits.
  • Arlo
    She/Her. The gardener. Tough to crack, possessive. She won’t. She wilts.
  • Evan
    He/Him. The guest. Would tell you he’s a nice guy. He waits. He wants.
  • Flowers
    Talkative
  • Elephant
    Not willing to go away easily.

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Blended City, Year 2025
  • Type Residency, Organization The Workshop Theatre, Year 2023
  • Type Commission, Organization Breathe of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble, The Wayward Artist, Year 2023
  • Type Reading, Organization Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble, The Wayward Artist, Year 2023

Awards

  • Emerging Voices
    Full Circle Players
    Finalist
    2026
  • PlayTime
    Dramatic Question Theatre
    Finalist
    2022