| THEATER
a play by
based on the novel by
Based on the acclaimed novel, this searing drama follows the story of an 18-year-old in Kansas searching for the answers behind the traumatic events of his childhood. The possibility that he may have been abducted by aliens arises, leading him deep into an investigation of the paranormal and his own troubled past. All trails eventually lead to another 18-year-old, a New York hustler who holds the key to the terrifying truth. Together, they move towards an unforgettable and heartbreaking conclusion.
"Deeply moving and riveting. The undercurrents of dangerous and wannabe humorous sexuality in both teens' stories erupt in a gripping, sad, and disturbing [scene] before the intermission. But as dramatic as that moment is, it pales beside the depth of drama Gomolvilas finds in the second part of Heim's story. Raw. Graphic. Written in fire. Bracing, poignant, and unsettlingly honest."
"Gomolvilas does an impressive job of turning Heim's provocative story into an intriguing piece of theater. Graphic. Disturbing. As the audience files out of the theater into the cold night, we're left to brood about the mysterious, hopelessly insular nature of our alien, altogether terrestrial selves."
"Prince Gomolvilas has beaten the odds by creating a play that stands on its own merits and yet captures the essence of the book. Wrenching and cathartic. Honest, emotional resonance. A considerable accomplishment."
"Scott Heim's acclaimed novel, Mysterious Skin, uses UFOs as both plot and metaphor in the tale of a Kansas teen trying to solve the riddle of his own alienation. And Prince Gomolvilas's worthy theatrical adaptation retains the novel's sorrowful intensity. Disturbing, forthright, and believable. The drama [is] razor-sharp and lacerating."
"Go see this excellent and important play! It's the best one this season!"
"Pretty damn good! Gomolvilas's keen script will challenge and surprise viewers. Neither self-indulgently experimental nor yawningly trite, neither humorlessly ironic nor embarrassingly melodramatic, Mysterious Skin is a success."
"Provocative. Confrontational. A shocker."
"Complex, intriguing. Gomolvilas's breaking apart of the novel's chronological structure works well; the playwright doles out information in a way that heightens the mystery but still provides all the clues for its eventual unraveling. [Mysterious Skin] forces the audience to consider complicated issues."
"The text includes moments of wry humor, yet in the end, Skin is...devastating."
3 males
(Note: The play can be performed by more actors if some roles are not double cast.)
2001 Commissioned by New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco, California
2001 NEA/TCG Residency Program for Playwrights Grant Award
2001 First draft written
2003 World premiere production by New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco, California, directed by Arturo Catricala and featuring Rich Dymer, Rebecca Fisher, Joseph Parks, Megan Towle, and Taylor Valentine
2006 Southern California premiere production by Rude Guerrilla Theatre Company in Santa Ana, California, directed by Dave Barton and featuring Keith Bennett, Shannon Lee Blas, Ron Javier, Rick Kopps, Kerry Perdue, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Tim Zimmer
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