The Maiden’s Prayer

We open at the wedding of Taylor and Cynthia, a golden couple
beloved by everyone — almost

Libby, Cynthia’s hard-drinking sister, is in love with Taylor herself and she can take it no longer. “The hypocrisy, the bone-chilling grotesque hypocrisy!”

Fleeing to the back yard she discovers Paul, Taylor’s best friend, a charming fellow, who, since childhood, has harbored a secret love for the groom himself

As Libby and Paul are forced to deal with unrequited love, their lives change dramatically. Paul, promiscuous by nature, finds himself pursued by a young man, Andrew, who seems, at first, less interested in true love than in available real estate

And Libby, her career in a shambles, succumbs to a life without love, a life where sex is connected to monetary gain, rather than affection. When Cynthia gives birth to a still-born child, her marriage dissolves and Taylor sinks into depression and alcoholism

Surprisingly, Libby, who has viewed her sister as the enemy all her life, finds the strength to sacrifice her own desires to help Cynthia through her grief. While Paul, seemingly kind, always appropriate, betrays his dearest friend and secret love

He gambles with Taylor’s life, hoping his friend will turn to him, at last, for comfort. The Maiden’s Prayer follows this quartet and Andrew as they struggle to learn the difference between loving someone and needing them

“Hilarious … Nicky Silver’s deepest play” ~ NY Post

“Playwright Nicky Silver can make you laugh yourself into a hernia …” ~ USA Today

“Silver’s latest and best” ~ Gannett Newspapers