Jeffrey is a twenty-year old homosexual guy and the main character within the show Jeffrey. The show is set in the early 1990’s.
ACT 1: Jeffrey is a young man that is struggling with his sexuality and decides that he will no longer have intercourse, and then he meets the love of his life, Steve. Jeffrey and Steve meet in the gym and kiss each other after only twenty seconds within knowing each other. This takes Jeffrey aback, and they go their own separate ways. Jeffrey then goes to his friends’ house, a gay couple by the names of Sterling and Darius. Something important to know about Darius is that he is HIV positive; this plot point plays into what takes place within the play.
When Jeffrey is at Sterling and Darius’ house they give him advice by telling him that it is “just sex.” Suddenly the audience is taken into a game show on stage that is a just sex game show. This part of the play was comical and added flavor to the plot. After the game show bit, Jeffrey talks about being an actor. Being an actor is Jeffrey’s dream. He goes to an audition and of course gets the “gay role.” Although the Director was nice Jeffrey wants more then a gay casting and a nice Director. The audience is then flashed to him working, he is a catering waiter. During one of Jeffrey’s catering gigs her runs into Steve, whom is a bartender at the same event that he is at. Jeffrey and Steve engage in conversation with each other about how Jeffrey doesn’t have sex. This sets an awkward tone between these characters…there is sexual tension between them.
The next scene Jeffrey goes to his friends’ house, Sterling and Darius, and Steve shows up for a blind date with Jeffrey. Sterling and Darius had no idea that Jeffrey and Steve knew each other. Jeffrey and Steve give into their feelings for one another and decide to go out together in the near future. Before their planned date Steve admits to Jeffrey that he is HIV positive and this freaks Jeffrey out. Jeffrey is so distraught by this information given to him that he goes to see a televangelist guru before his date with Steve. Unfortunately, the guru does not really help Jeffrey so he decides to cancel his date with Steve. But, Jeffrey is a bit horny because he hasn’t had intercourse in a while so he goes to a masturbation club. This part of the play I will admit was uncomfortable but also funny at the same time.
Jeffrey runs into Darius and Sterling outside of the masturbation club and they tell him that he shouldn’t have cancelled his date with Steve. After this meeting with his friends Jeffrey decides to tell Steve he will go on with the date and to have safe sex with him. Unfortunately Jeffrey gets assaulted by two thugs and is beaten badly.
End of Act 1
Act 2: (Takes place 6 months after Jeffrey was assaulted)
Jeffrey goes to an AA meeting for sex but it doesn’t really help him. He goes to a funeral for a friend of his that passed away and Darius and Sterling are at the funeral. They have a conversation about aids, which moves Jeffrey. Jeffrey then goes to the hospital and happens to run into Steve. Steve is there helping babies with aids, and they have a brief conversation. They decide that hey don’t think it is best that they date each other.
Jeffrey isn’t open about his sexuality with his parents, the play then flashes to him having a conversation with his parents on the phone where he cowards out of telling them.
After the hospital, Jeffrey goes to church. Weirdly a priest hits on him and tries to coax him into having sex with him. The conversation oddly enough shifts into talking about God. The priest says that “God is like a balloon, no one lets it touch the ground.” This message becomes vital to the plot later on.
The next time Jeffrey sees Steve is at a gay pride parade that Steve is coordinating. Sterling and Darius are also at the parade. Steve is also dating some one else, named Sean. Jeffrey is happy for Steve, but at the same time he doesn’t like to see that he has moved on so he then decides that he will move to Wisconsin to start anew.
(A few weeks later in the play) The play moves to the hospital, and Darius has passed away. Sterling gets angry with Jeffrey for not giving Steve a chance, and this moves Jeffrey because he realizes the importance of love and that it should prevail over any obstacles or boundaries.
Jeffrey calls Steve and they meet at the Empire State Building; Jeffrey has a balloon and it flies as they share an intimate kiss.
End of Play.
Overall I felt that this student run production was done very well. Although there were moments of the play that were a bit uncomfortable for me, like the masturbation scene, I enjoyed the play. I felt that it had a strong message, and that message was is that we should never give up the chance to love someone or to be loved. Give love a chance, give the love of your life a chance. Love can prevail over all obstacles.
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