The Married Name

Playwright Kevin Broccoli's "The Married Name" has an interesting subject at its core: should gay couples be subjected to the same pressures and obligations as their heterosexual counterparts?

This one-act play begins with Rex (Justin Pimentel) and Dan (Adam Preston) making plans for their upcoming nuptials. They bicker over who should be invited and which songs will be played. Should there be a band or a DJ?

During a dinner with friends Ethan (Luis Manaya) and Al (Ryan Leverone), tensions between Rex and Dan reach a boiling point when they can't agree on which one should take the other's last name once they are married.

Their discussion results in secrets being revealed – secrets which threaten to destroy their relationship and their friendships with Ethan and Al. Lots of questions come up.

Can male friends find each other attractive without the need to have sex? Is taking your husband's last name a sign of real love or merely an obligation?

Rex is an unemployed actor and Dan is the breadwinner. Is Rex just a "golddigger" or does he really love Dan? Is Dan Rex's true "soulmate" or merely a "second choice"? Do couples stay together out of love or out of a fear of being alone?

"The Married Name" doesn't provide any simple answers. By the time it reaches its conclusion, I wasn't sure if Dan and Rex ever really did belong together. I will let the amateur psychologists figure that one out.

As an entertainment, it succeeds due to the energy of the performers and the confident direction of Victoria Ezikovich.

Broccoli's writing is frequently witty and dives deep into the reality of making a relationship work. Sometimes there's some very raw emotion on display, along with some physical comedy. No spoilers, but I will say cans of whipped cream are put to ingenious use.

Pimentel, a veteran of several Epic Theatre productions, displays exquisite comic timing as the shallow and promiscuous Rex.

Preston also turns in a solid performance as the conflicted Dan, who questions his relationship with Rex while dealing with the infatuation of his childhood friend Al, who is insecure about his appearance.

Leverone brings poignancy to Al, an overweight man who is desperately searching for love.

I was also impressed by Manaya, who has many funny moments while serving as a one-man Greek chorus.

The action is staged "in the round" at AS 220's Black Box Theatre, which gives the production an intimate feel. We are unseen guests at Rex and Dan's dinner party and experience the tension between them up close.

I suspect 'The Married Name" will resonate with not only gay couples but anyone looking for romantic fulfillment. True love is hard to find but even harder to maintain over a period of time. Maybe we all have something to learn about it.

"The Married Name," presented by Counter Productions Theatre Company, runs through March 24 at AS220's Black Box Theatre, 95 Empire St., Providence, RI. Admission $20. For tickets, visit www.cptcri.com.