Finally in print, the commissioned stage adaptation of Jim Provenzano's acclaimed debut novel, PINS. Joey Nicci struggles with the pressures of being a gay high school wrestler in suburban New Jersey.
"A strong, well-staged world premiere production. Provenzano shows great skill with naturalistic dialogue and a healthy dose of wry humor." - SF Examiner
"Provenzano shows a deep fondness for his characters and a sure understanding of the wrestling milieu. He's particularly adept at handling the crosscurrents of fear and lust produced by the conflict between the sport's potential homoeroticism and the team members' homophobia. ... nicely captures the tender ache of adolescence." – Zac Thompson, Chicago Reader
Professional Reviews
San Francisco Examiner
"A strong, well-staged world premiere production. Provenzano shows great skill with naturalistic dialogue and a healthy dose of wry humor."
Chicago Reader
"Jim Provenzano's play, based on his novel, is a coming-of-age narrative about a high school wrestler grappling with being gay. Few of the plot developments are surprising: there's bullying, crying, parental bafflement, innocence lost, self-knowledge won.
But Provenzano shows a deep fondness for his characters and a sure understanding of the wrestling milieu. He's particularly adept at handling the crosscurrents of fear and lust produced by the conflict between the sport's potential homoeroticism and the team members' homophobia. ... nicely captures the tender ache of adolescence; Eddie Bennett is particularly endearing as the conflicted young wrestler." -
Gay Chicago Magazine
"PINS" is the stage adaptation of a highly-reviewed book of the same name, written in 1999 by Jim Provenzano (the book's author also penned the adaptation). It chronicles the coming-of-age story told through the eyes of teenager Joey Nicci. Joey and his family has just moved to a new town, his father accepting an available plumbing job, where Joey takes on a new school just as he is coming to terms with his sexual identity, finding solace through his love for wrestling and his love for one of his fellow wrestlers, Dink.
Though the script of "PINS" has some rough edges to it, this is a powerful and haunting play. It heart-wrenchingly deals with such issues as homophobia, both outward and internalized, violent gay bashing, the confused grappling of parents and siblings dealing with a family member coming out, and the pervading despair and loneliness encountered by a teenager realizing that he isn't "normal." These are dark and complex issues, but ultimately this play projects a message of hope - hope that the courage to do what's right truly triumphs over a world seemingly infected with fear and intolerance.
"PINS" tells a story that could not have been told 20 years ago. His parents are confused but supportive, wanting the best for their son. When Joey comes out to his working-class father, the father responds not with shame or repulsion but with concern, wanting more than anything else that his son be happy."
A page-turning novel about a relationship between best friends that is interrupted because of betrayal , deceit, sexual promiscuity and pregnancy happens!
Rovella is a beautiful woman with a cold heart whom blames herself for an unfortunate old family secret that is literally ruining her life. This secret impedes a gorgeous woman from having happiness in her childhood, and throughout her life. Dark sec
A page-turning novel about a relationship between best friends that is interrupted because of betrayal , deceit, sexual promiscuity and pregnancy happens!
