Hypotheticals

Set in current-day Chicago, “Hypotheticals” is about a beautiful but misanthropic woman who kisses a stranger in an elevator on her way to psychotherapy. When the stranger turns out to be her new therapist, they’re forced into a professional relationship where the intimate environment is as fertile for romantic tension as it is for personal growth—until the revelation of a mutual secret threatens to bind them...

Set in current-day Chicago, “Hypotheticals” is about a beautiful but misanthropic woman who kisses a stranger in an elevator on her way to psychotherapy. When the stranger turns out to be her new therapist, they’re forced into a professional relationship where the intimate environment is as fertile for romantic tension as it is for personal growth—until the revelation of a mutual secret threatens to bind them together or tear them apart.

In an age where up to 20% of the world’s population is neurodivergent, “Hypotheticals” shatters stereotypes about neurodiversity and Autism, arguing that neurodivergent brains are not faulty and that there’s no wrong way to be human. I am submitting to Detroit Rep because of your interest in plays that explore contemporary issues with a comedic lens.

“This show was entertaining, funny and thought-provoking. It was a story about neurodiversity, but it was more than that; it explored love, lust, identity, trauma and the beauty of the complexities of life. Kith and Kin’s mission is to explore gray areas through its productions, and this show did exactly that. It explored a messy, complex relationship that was far from perfect and showed that there’s something spectacular to be found in the grayness of it all…[A] hilarious and thought-provoking romantic comedy.”
— Milwaukee Magazine

“Moving and poignant.”
— World Premiere Wisconsin

"The electrical exhilaration of romance is one of the easiest special effects to put on the live stage, but it’s allowed on the local small stage so very, very infrequently. A romance like Hypotheticals is frustratingly rare. It makes a show like Nguyen’s all the more precious."
— The Small Stage

"I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard during a play. The characters were endearing, the stakes were high, the plot twists literally made me gasp. And not only was I thoroughly entertained for two hours; it's given me something to think about in the weeks since. This is an important piece of theatre."
— Stuart S., Waco audience member

"Too often we forget that diversity means lots of different things. We check the box of having a multiracial cast and think we're doing the work. But HYPOTHETICALS reminds us that diversity must necessarily encompass neurodiversity as well. Where are our neurodiverse actors performing our neurodiverse plays? That's something that I'd love to see more of, and this play was an incredible start."
— Breshena C., Waco audience member

"Rebecca Nguyen has managed to craft something truly special. My goal when selecting plays to produce is always for people to have the opportunity to see themselves on stage that rarely have the chance to do so. And wow, HYPOTHETICALS did not disappoint. The number of neurodiverse audience members that spoke to me afterwards was astounding. And the joy that surrounded them as they told me the ways in which they deeply related to these characters was tangible. That's what theatre is all about. Yes, we want to entertain. But we want people to see themselves inside the story. And in this play, Rebecca has given that gift to people that have not yet received it in such a whole and heartwarming way."
— Trent Clifford, Producer, Wild Imaginings Theatre Company

"A strong female lead that's funny and sexy is a rare thing, as women are often taught that the latter is merely a way to compensate for the former. But Blaise is unapologetically herself, reminding us that romance is for everyone, not just those who society has deemed commercially worthy."
— Reanna F., 'Blaise' in the Wild Imaginings production

  • Inquire About Rights
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Library

Hypotheticals

Recommended by

  • Ally Varitek: Hypotheticals

    Oh how I loved this read! Hypotheticals explores the intersection of dating and neurodivergence in a way that is so fresh and original that I giggled my entire way through this read. Just like your favorite TV show, each character feels fully developed in a way that is uniquely their own, and Nguyen's lived experience and expertise with neurodivergence and psychology makes this play as truthful and relatable as it is charming. I read this for Wild Imaginings' Epiphanies Festival and am eagerly awaiting a chance to see this staged!

    Oh how I loved this read! Hypotheticals explores the intersection of dating and neurodivergence in a way that is so fresh and original that I giggled my entire way through this read. Just like your favorite TV show, each character feels fully developed in a way that is uniquely their own, and Nguyen's lived experience and expertise with neurodivergence and psychology makes this play as truthful and relatable as it is charming. I read this for Wild Imaginings' Epiphanies Festival and am eagerly awaiting a chance to see this staged!

DR. JAME BROOKS (JAMIE): Male, any race, fortyish, conventionally attractive, fit.

BLAISE MCKAY: Female, any race, mid-to-late 30s, conventionally attractive.

SUPERVISOR: Female, any race or age.

BETTY MCKAY: Female, the same race as BLAISE, 60s to 70s+. BLAISE’S mom and an advanced-stage dementia patient.

STIMULUS Female, any race or age. An AI Assistant a la Janet from THE GOOD PLACE. (can be audio only)

DR. GWEN: Female, any race, 50-60s+, sultry. A Wendy Malick type.

ARLO: Any gender, race, or age; a client of JAMIE’S experiencing selective mutism. Makes sounds, but not words.

ELOISE: A nurse. Any gender, race, or age.

A WOMAN: Could be mistaken for BLAISE at first glance.


Double casting

It’s possible to produce the play with just 3 actors using the following casting:
Actor 1: DR. JAME BROOKS (JAMIE)
Actor 2: BLAISE MCKAY
Actor 3: ARLO / SUPERVISOR / BETTY MCKAY / STIMULUS(PRE-RECORDED) / DR. GWEN / ELOISE / WOMAN

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Special Interest Theater, Minneapolis, Year 2025
  • Type Reading, Organization World Premiere Wisconsin, Year 2023
  • Type Reading, Organization Cincinnati LAB New Works Festival, Year 2023
  • Type Reading, Organization Epiphanies New Works Festival, Year 2023

Production History

  • Type Professional, Organization Kith & Kin Theatre Collective, Year 2024
  • Type Professional, Organization Wild Imaginings Theatre, Waco, Year 2024

Awards

  • 2023 Epiphanies New Works Festival
    Wild Imaginings Theatre Company
    Winner
    2023