Logline:
Trapped in a reality-bending hotel, a young minister confronts the loss of his church and a guilt-ridden art critic the death of his child until they awake to lead their real lives in altered ways.
Synopsis:
Dream Hotel is a surreal psychological thriller exploring faith, identity and guilt. Richard, a Black minister grappling with a crisis of faith and Harry, a sharp-witted art critic haunted by unresolved grief are joined by Kayla, a pistol-packing, mixed-race housekeeper whose cynical worldview is challenged by the unfolding events. The two men, strangers to each other, dream they awake in the hotel to find they’ve become invisible to all the other guests. The hotel, with all its exit doors locked, becomes a crucible forcing them to question themselves and face decisions they had long put off.
The stakes are raised when a Prophet leading an angry Mob breaks into the hotel in search of a Chosen One. Harry pretends he is the one, hoping to escape. Exposed and chased by the mob, he falls into darkness. Richard is declared the Chosen One. He must resolve his struggle with faith and sexuality to challenge the mob’s hatred and violence. His example gives Kayla the hope she needs to save them both. Awaking from the purgatory of their dream, Richard, Kayla and Harry meet in the hotel lobby to lead different lives than before.
My 10-minute play, The Connection, selected by Equity Library Theater of New York for its 2022 Virtual Play Festival. We filmed it on the old Aux Dog Theatre stage in Albuqueque.
