SIGNIFICANTLY BAD DATES
Front Row L to R: Kathy St. George, Greg Maraio, Jordan Clark
Back Row L to R: Eddie Shields, Jared Troilo, Sarah Elizabeth Bedard
Photo by Justin Saglio.
Although Speakeasy Stage is known for staging Boston premieres, this fall it will be kicking off the season with something that will give it a new kind of bragging right: the pre-Broadway engagement of Joshua Harmon’s Significant Other, which will open on Broadway this spring.
Significant Other is a compulsively funny, genuinely gripping story about Jordan (played here by Greg Maraio), whose three best girlfriends are all getting married, leaving him uncomfortably single. It is a tale about love in the modern age and about a young man’s struggle to try to hurry up and figure it all out.
Here, members of the cast (plus director Paul Daigneault) share their most cringeworthy first date stories.
Jordan Clark:
The fact that I have to use dating apps to meet people and go on dates is pretty cringeworthy. It has really messed up the way people interact with each other. Expectations are so high and everyone thinks there is always someone better than you out there. It pretty much sucks!
Paul Daigneault:
When I was 13, a girl named Wendy invited me over to her house. When I arrived, I discovered that her parents were not home, slow music was playing on the stereo, and her shirt was unbuttoned so that I could see her bra. But nothing happened that day with Wendy because, um, I was gay.
Greg Maraio:
The most cringeworthy things I remember about dating was trying to “make a move.” I was/am one of those people who wasn’t very good at reading signals to see if someone was interested in me. It always seemed that I was leaning in to kiss the people who didn’t want to be kissed, or was too timid to kiss the people who wanted to be. The whole concept of a first date was really terrifying. Trying to look your best and wear the right thing. To be funny, but not come on too strong. I remember trying to be a version of myself that was unattainable. There was so much pressure. There was also no swiping right or left. That was a lot harder to do in person.
Kathy St. George:
A guy asked me out for dinner. He took me to a nice restaurant, but wanted to sit in the bar area because the “happy hour” food was all free. We ate the free food and drank water. I then ordered a cup of tea. When the check came (for the tea), he slid it across the table for me to pay.
Kris Sidberry:
I went on a date once with this guy I call “The Greek.” A extremely smart, handsome, and very nice guy. Terrible kisser. Almost choked me with his tongue. Needless to say, no second date.
Jared Troilo:
My most cringeworthy dating moment happened when I decided I really wanted to show off for this girl, and I took her to a really fancy dinner. It was a first date, and I guess I wanted her to think I was richer than I actually was at the time. I ordered a bottle of wine and appetizers, and we got the most expensive entrees. When I got the check, I went for my pocket and realized that I didn’t have my wallet! So I had to stick this girl with the entire massive bill. What’s worse is we spent the rest of the night roaming midtown looking for my wallet (never found).
SIGNIFICANT OTHER. RUNS 9.9-10.8 AT SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY AT THE BCA, 527 TREMONT ST., BOSTON. SPEAKEASYSTAGE.COM
CHRISTOPHER EHLERS
Chris is a theater critic for TheaterMania, WBUR's TheArtery, and is the Theater Editor for DigBoston. He is the treasurer of the Boston Theater Critics Association and reviews film and music for EDGE Media Network.
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