Local Playwright’s ‘Closets’ Explores Family Secrets, Faith and the Things Left Unsaid

A new play written by Sullivan County playwright Bill Duncan will receive staged readings this weekend in Hurleyville.

“Closets” follows a blue-collar Irish Catholic family from the 1950s through the 1970s, exploring themes of family, faith, relationships and the secrets people keep from one another.

Duncan said the play was inspired by the story of a longtime friend he reconnected with decades after they first met in school.

The friend shared details about his family’s experiences, giving Duncan the foundation for the play.

“It was an incredible story,” Duncan told Curtain Call host Tom Candela. “I knew immediately that this had dramatic possibilities.”

Duncan said his friend provided him with written accounts of what he had experienced growing up, which helped shape the play. While the story is based on real events, Duncan said he has chosen not to reveal his friend’s identity.

The play is set in Erie, Pennsylvania, a location Duncan chose in part because of his wife’s connection to the city.

The title “Closets” reflects the secrets and unspoken truths within the family at the center of the story.

Duncan said the characters are aware of the realities within their family but often choose to leave those issues unaddressed.

“The closet is there, but it’s closed,” Duncan said. “And yet they all reveal themselves and the reality of the situation reveals itself.”

The story includes difficult subjects, including family conflict, racism, adultery and abortion, but Duncan said humor is an important part of the play.

Carol Montana, who is directing the staged reading, said the humor helps balance the heavier moments.

Montana became involved with the project after working with Duncan on another play, “Holy Holy Holy,” which was produced by the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop. She later suggested presenting “Closets” as a dramatic reading as a way to bring the work to audiences.

As director, Montana said much of the process involves working with the actors to find the balance between comedy and drama.

“There’s a great deal of humor,” Montana said. “There’s some really, really funny lines, and I think it balances itself.”

The reading features local actors, including Ellen Pavloff, Albee Bockman, Paul Ciliberto, Lourdessa Hunt, and Radio Catskill’s own David Dann and Jason Dole.

Montana said the actors playing the two brothers in the story must portray the characters as teenagers in the 1950s and as adults in the 1970s. She said their performances, along with the dialogue, help convey that passage of time.

The play centers in part around Millie, the family’s mother, a complicated character who Duncan describes as a major force in the story.

“She’s really something of a hinge around which they function,” Duncan said.

The staged reading of “Closets” will include a question-and-answer session afterward, giving audiences a chance to discuss the play and its unanswered questions.

Montana said those questions are intentional, leaving room for audiences to consider the characters’ choices and motivations.

“Closets” will be presented by Big Sky Productions at the Sullivan County Museum in Hurleyville on Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2, at 2 p.m.

Big Sky Productions strongly recommends the show for mature audiences due to strong language and adult situations.

Image: Playwright Bill Duncan. (Big Sky Productions)