It's the early 2000s, before PrEP. Ted is new to Los Angeles, and newly out of the closet. He goes on a journey through Hollywood back rooms, nightclub bathrooms, and Internet chat rooms-where he meets and falls in love with Henry. But Henry doesn't yet know how to navigate the dating landscape with his new HIV diagnosis, so he breaks things off with Ted...who then makes a desperate decision to win Henry back. He Asked For Itasks how far are you willing to go for love? And how much will you forgive?
NOMINEE, Outstanding Los Angeles Theater, GLAAD Media Awards
NOMINEE, World Premiere Playwriting, Ovation Awards
Play Details
He Asked For It is a full-length play in two acts, with one intermission. This edition of He Asked For It includes a BONUS third act that further expands the story. The play can be performed with or without Act 3.
Cast: 1 female, 6 male
Genre: Drama, Dark Comedy, Edgy, New Plays, Subversive, Gay Theater, Queer Theater, Provocative, Epic
Keywords: LGBTQ, gay, romance, HIV, Hollywood, tragedy, forgiveness, radical, bold, love story, suicide, coming out, hate, hate crimes, gay life, dysfunction, redemption, loss, remorse, intimacy, intimacy coordinator, sex, nudity, cancer, loneliness, West Hollywood, WeHo, nightlife, chat rooms, family, love, Grindr, AOL, graphic content, acting, representation
Character Breakdown:
TED, an actor from Wyoming (20s)
NEAL, a buff, gym dude (20s to 30s)
RIGBY, gaffer from Encino (30s to 40s)
MARCUS, Ted's agent (30s to 50s)
SOPHIE, Ted's sister (16)
HENRY, not an actor, a romantic (20s to 30s)
STEVE, an athletic stud (20s to 30s)
"This is a brave, worthy take on a difficult topic."
- The Los Angeles Times
Industry Reviews
"He Asked for It is a virally gay-centric play, very out there, and sometimes an eye-opener in its frankness and language. Despite the heated sex talk, unbelievable but apparently true practices, and porn-bespattered dialogue, its shock value is in the realization that rather than merely casual sex, most wish lists include a universal desire for identity, acceptance, and connection... Patterson's world premiere play is funny, wicked, and a bit shocking, moving quickly from comedy to drama."
-Madeleine Shaner, Back Stage West
"Patterson has accomplished quite a feat in writing a play that tackles tough issues around HIV while getting his audience to intermittently roar with laughter. Even though this play is nothing like Angels in America, I daresay that Mr. Kushner would be proud."
-Amita Parashar, The Advocate
"Frequent flashes of potent behavioral truth... Patterson's brightest gifts-authentic idiom, sharp humor, beautifully layered dialogue-are on display... This is a brave, worthy take on a difficult topic."
-David C. Nichols, Los Angeles Times
"A remarkably insightful view of urban gay life in the 21st century... A work with universal themes about loneliness in the big city and the fragility of the human heart."
-Frontiers Magazine
"Writer Erik Patterson has written an AIDS play with a difference. His take on the subject is fresh, provocative and unpredictable, his characters are engagingly human, and he finds plenty of comedy along the way."
-Neal Weaver, LA Weekly
"Gay-themed dramas charting thematic territory that feels truly new are rare, and those that pack a knockout dramatic punch are even harder to come by... Erik Patterson's gripping and intelligent new play feels like a watershed piece. This is a frank and eye-opening view of contemporary urban gay culture that's hard-hitting without being exploitative. It's as funny as it is tragic, eloquently reflecting the bittersweet contradictions of life... This is a vital new work."
-Les Spindle, IN LA Magazine
