BUG
Written by Tracy Letts
Directed by Greg Beam
Viewer Discretion is advised. Show contains adult language and content.
THE STORY: Set in a seedy Oklahoma City motel room, the play centers on the meeting between Agnes (Laura Sutton) and Peter (Jarod Kearney). Agnes is a divorced waitress with a fondness for cocaine and isolation, and Peter is a soft-spoken Gulf War drifter introduced to her by her lesbian friend, R.C. (Leigh Ellis). Agnes stays at a hotel in hopes of avoiding her physically abusive ex-husband Jerry (Bill Jolloff), who was just released from prison. At first, she lets Peter sleep platonically on her floor, but not long after she promotes him to the bed. Matters become more complicated as Jerry eagerly returns to the woman he loves to beat her up, expecting to resume their relationship. On top of that, there's a hidden bug infestation problem that has both Agnes and Peter dealing with scathing welts and festering sores. Peter believes this is the result of experiments conducted on him during his stay at an army hospital. By the time that Dr. Sweet (Christopher Beery) arrives, their fears have escalated to paranoia, conspiracy theories and twisted psychological motives.