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Skin Deep (Lonoff)

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  2f, 2m

In this brilliant and bittersweet romantic comedy, a large, lovable lonely heart named Maureen Mulligan gives romance one last shot on a blind date with sweet, awkward Joseph Spinelli. Meanwhile, her sister Sheila and her husband Squire have problems of their own.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2f, 2m
  • Duration
    Duration
    105 Minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Romantic Comedy
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior

Details

Summary

In Skin Deep, a large, lovable, lonely heart named Maureen Mulligan gives romance one last shot on a blind date with sweet, awkward Joseph Spinelli; she’s learned to pepper her speech with jokes to hide insecurities about her weight and appearance, while he’s almost dangerously forthright, saying everything that comes to his mind. They both know they’re perfect for each other, and in time they come to admit it. They were set up on the date by Maureen’s sister Sheila and her husband Squire, who are having problems of their own: Sheila undergoes a non-stop series of cosmetic surgeries to hang onto the attractive and much-desired Squire, who may or may not have long ago held designs on Maureen, who introduced him to Sheila. With Maureen particularly vulnerable to both hurting and being hurt, the time is ripe for all these unspoken issues to bubble to the surface.

History
Skin Deep premiered on the Main Stage at WorkShop Theater Company in New York City in 2003.
  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Setting Maureen Mulligan’s unkempt apartment in Forest Hills. Autumn, New York City. A few years ago.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features Physical Comedy
  • Duration 105 Minutes
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

“Warmhearted comedy… a winning play, with enough good-humored laughs and sentiment to keep you smiling from beginning to end.” – Talkin’ Broadway

“It’s a little Paddy Chayefsky, a lot Neil Simon, and a quick-witted, intelligent voyage into the not-so-tranquil seas of middle-aged love and dating. The dialogue is crackling and hilarious; the plot simple but well-turned; the characters endearing and quirky; and lurking beneath the merriment is so much heartache that you’ll stand up and cheer when the unlikely couple makes it to the inevitable final clinch.” – NYTheatreWorld.com

Skin Deep is poignant, hilarious, a must-see. Although playwright Jon Lonoff's brilliant, bittersweet script is unapologetically sentimental, it's also unfailingly astute – never backing off from being painfully honest when it comes to just how much insecurity about one’s physical appearance impacts life… His believable, poignant, imperfect characters and their individual attitudes about themselves always ring true and hit you right in the heart. However, in the midst of feeling sorry for their emotional plights, you'll find yourself helplessly laughing out loud.” – Redwood Curtain Theatre (CA)  TriCity Weekly (Beti Webb Trauth)

Skin Deep… proves that love comes in all shapes and sizes… in this clever romantic comedy. Lonoff has written a wonderfully quirky and hilarious modern love story in an exceptionally witty and unexpected style.” – The Old Opera House Theatre Company (WV) DC Metro Theater Arts (Johnna Leary)

“Compared with comedy, dying is easy, the old adage goes. Skin Deep had its audience quaking with laughter, which is not something you or I could make happen. Skin Deep is well-crafted, well-executed comedy.” – Lake Theatre (NY), Lake George Mirror, Anthony Hall.

 

Photos

  • Skin Deep (Lonoff)

    Image: Jon Lonoff

  • Skin Deep (Lonoff)

    Image: Jon Lonoff

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size No Chorus

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

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Authors

Jon Lonoff

Jon Lonoff

Jon Lonoff’s writing credits range from an adaptation of Aesop’s Fables for marionettes to a training film for Sunoco gas station attendants. His theatrical and film writing has included The Garbage Cantata (with Barry Keating), a musical about recycling, commissioned and pro ...

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