Read the Play || Production/Development History Below
|| Read the Reviews
Honey Fist Synopsis
Stu, Sammy, Sul, and Rene gather each year at the powerlines overlooking the water in Marblehead, MA to remember the untimely death of their best friend Justin. They all go on a mighty bender in his honor. But then Joey, an old friend who left Marblehead for success as a Hollywood screenwriter, shows up with movie/pop star Gretyl Barnes on his arm.
Joey says he’s making a movie about Justin, and whoever can tell him the best story about their old friend, will win a Porsche. The stories grow progressively more personal and intense, until Stu asks Joey why he’s really there. An old rivalry erupts, and after Joey and Greytl leave in a flurry of insults and recriminations, Stu plots revenge.
They kidnap Gretyl Barnes, and as they wait for whatever move Joey will make next, she tries to set the old friends against each other. Seeing that Rene is hopelessly in love with Stu, and Sul is hopelessly in love with Rene, (and Sammy, with himself); Greytl nearly succeeds in turning her captors against each other.
But when Joey arrives with a gun, Stu pulls his real intent out of him: Joey believes that Stu was behind Justin’s death, and he won’t leave until he finds out the truth. The story that Stu tells fractures not only their friendships, but also Joey’s relationship with Gretyl. The play ends with Gretyl returning to a now abandoned Stu to find out whether the story he told was true, and what the two of them are going to do about it.
Honey Fist is a play about old friendships, storytelling, and the ownership of grief.
Characters
Rene Bernard, 28, a waitress.
John Stuart, “Stu”, 28, a carpenter.
Brendan Sullivan, “Sul”, 28, a construction worker.
Sammy Malone, 28, a manager at Staples.
Joe Diamond, 28, a Hollywood screenwriter.
Gretyl Barnes, 25, a famous musician and movie star.
Development History
Produced at the 4th Street Theatre by Flux Theatre Ensemble, April 2013
Staged Reading at Flux Theatre Ensemble’s 2011 Retreat
Directed by Kelly O’Donnell
Featuring Ryan Andes, Matthew Archambault, Tiffany Clementi, David Crommett, Will Lowry, Stephen Conrad Moore, Brian Pracht, Alisha Spielmann, Isaiah Tanenbaum, Chinaza Uche, Cotton Wright
07/04/09: Read-through at the 21st Street Loft
Rene Bernard, Rebecca McHugh
John Stuart, Todd d’Amour
Brendan Sullivan, Jason Paradine
Sammy Malone, Jake Alexander
Joe Diamond, Brian Pracht
Gretyl Barnes, Marnie Schulenburg
2009: Developed over the year at Flux Sundays by Flux Theatre Ensemble
Corinna Schulenburg 
One thought on “Honey Fist”