Wade
The Mathematician
A closeted college graduate who lives in precision and logic. Wound up tight, never smiling, Wade sees the world through equations and certainty.
Gabriel
The Philosopher
A free-spirited college student who embraces emotion and contemplation. Dressed in togas, Gabriel sees the world through wonder and philosophical inquiry.
Trapped in an Elevator
Where two worlds collide and transformation begins
The Story
Wade is a somber, humorless college graduate who is a mathematician. Gabriel is a frivolous free-wheeling college student studying philosophy. They have nothing in common, but they end up meeting trapped in a stalled elevator.
Through his forced interactions with Gabriel, Wade learns that there is therapeutic value to expressing the full gamut of human emotions. Both find new meaning as they explore the full trajectory of their lives.
A play about the collision of logic and emotion, precision and freedom, mathematics and philosophy—and the unexpected harmony that emerges when two opposing souls are forced to truly see each other.
Cast of Characters
Wade
College Graduate • Mathematician
A closeted gay college graduate wearing glasses who is wound up tight and never smiles. His world is one of logic, precision, and emotional restraint.
Gabriel
College Student • Philosophy
A gay college student wearing glasses who is a free spirit. Physically larger than Wade, he is dressed in a toga when we first meet him, embodying philosophical openness and emotional expression.
Supporting Characters
Wade's Family
Vincent
Wade's Father
A seventy-year-old man in poor health. Represents the older generation's emotional constraints and the weight of family expectations.
Madge
Wade's Mother
A seventy-year-old woman who is overweight and burdened with major emotional problems. Her struggles mirror Wade's internal conflicts.
Gabriel's Family
Philip
Gabriel's Father
A seventy-year-old man exhibiting hippie qualities. Represents a generation that embraced freedom and emotional expression.
Patti
Gabriel's Mother
A seventy-year-old woman who also exhibits hippie qualities. She embodies the philosophical openness that Gabriel has inherited.
* Note: Both fathers are played by the same actor. Both mothers are played by the same actress.
Experience the Transformation
Two opposing souls. One stalled elevator. A journey from logic to emotion, from precision to freedom, from isolation to connection.