One-Act Play

Steam

A Play in One Act by William Ivor Fowkes

Seeking more than sex.

 

Two strangers meet in the steam room of a gym in midtown Manhattan and embark on a cat-and-mouse game to confront each other's desires and try to expose their true identities.

 

 



LENGTH: 45 minutes. Also available in 30-, 20-, and 15-minute versions.

RATING: R-rated. Also available in a PG version for general audiences.

AVAILABLE FORMATS: Stage, radio, and Zoom.

CAST: 2M


SETTING

A steam room at a gym in midtown Manhattan.

 

TIME

One afternoon several years ago.

 

CHARACTERS

Jeff. Male. In his 30s. In reasonably good shape. Could be a businessman.

Kevin. Male. In his 30s. Muscular and attractive. Could be a model.

 


Watch it now!

A Zoom Reading of STEAM

 

Theatre Rhinoceros in San Francisco--the longest-running queer theatre in the world--presented a free Zoom Reading of STEAM, a one act play by William Ivor Fowkes, directed by Joe Tally, at 11PM Eastern (8PM Pacific), Saturday, April 18, 2020. It featured Bay Area actors Justin Lopez ("Jeff") and Nick Trengrove ("Kevin").

 

Watch Zoom Reading of STEAM Here.



EXCERPT:

 

Scene: One afternoon in the steam room at a gym. The set consists of two steam room benches with a door between them. The door has a window. 

 

SOUND: The hiss of steam.

 

JEFF sits on one of the benches—either wrapped in his towel or naked on top of his towel. He seems frustrated—waiting for something that isn’t happening. Looks around bored. Finally gets up. Looks out the door. Eventually sees someone coming. Sits back down quickly.

 

KEVIN enters, his towel wrapped tightly around his waist. He is muscular and very attractive. JEFF can’t help staring at him, but tries to be discreet. KEVIN sits on the other bench. He is self-involved and doesn’t even really notice JEFF—or at least doesn’t let on if he does. KEVIN closes his eyes. JEFF keeps sneaking glances at him. 

 

JEFF coughs to get KEVIN’s attention. KEVIN opens his eyes long enough to see who coughed, then closes them again. JEFF clears his throat, but gets no response. He touches or massages himself—maybe trying to get KEVIN’s attention or maybe because he just can’t help himself. (He might rip his towel off and put it in a crumpled pile next to him.) 

 

KEVIN opens his eyes long enough to notice JEFF, who quickly sits at attention. KEVIN smiles and closes his eyes again. JEFF gets up to look out the door window. Sits back down. Starts to touch or massage himself again—subtly—until KEVIN opens his eyes and watches him. After a few moments, KEVIN starts to touch or massage himself, too, while staring at JEFF. 

 

JEFF

(to Kevin)

Oh, yeah . . . That’s good! . . . Keep that up! . . . Oh, yeah! 

 

JEFF gets up. Approaches KEVIN. 

 

KEVIN

Hey, hey—watch it! Whaddya doing? Get away from me! 

 

JEFF sits back down.

 

JEFF

Sorry. Sorry . . . The heat got me all revved up . . . And I thought you . . . 

 

KEVIN

That’s cool, but just stay on your own bench, please. 

 

JEFF

Sorry. You’re a very hot-looking guy.

 

KEVIN

Thank you.

 

JEFF

I bet you hear that a lot.

 

KEVIN

Not really.

 

JEFF

But you are—really!

 

KEVIN

Yeah, I guess sometimes guys . . . 

 

JEFF

I bet they do! 

 

KEVIN

You’re not so bad yourself.

 

JEFF

Really?

 

KEVIN

Yes, really! And you must know that, too.

 

JEFF

Not really. I mean I hope I am. I’m never sure what guys . . . I mean—I don’t know.

 

They stare at each other. After a moment, KEVIN moans as he starts to touch or massage himself again. 

 

KEVIN

Mm . . . mm . . . 

 

JEFF

Oh, yeah . . . That’s good . . . Yeah, keep that up! . . . Can I join you now?

 

KEVIN

Okay. Just be careful!

 

JEFF leaps up. Joins KEVIN. They make out. Grab each other. Then KEVIN breaks things off.  

 

KEVIN

Hey, watch it! I think someone’s coming!

 

JEFF

 

Oh, my god!

 

JEFF panics. Rushes back to his bench. Maybe drops his towel and scrambles to retrieve it.

 

KEVIN

Sorry—my mistake, but they threw someone out of the gym last week, so I just think we should be careful.

 

JEFF

No shit!

 

KEVIN

Yeah. Someone walked in and caught two guys doin’ it.

 

JEFF

Doin’ it? You mean all the way?

 

KEVIN

Well, doin’ something!

 

JEFF

Wow!

 

KEVIN

So, I just think we should be careful

 

JEFF

But I see stuff going on in here all the time. I thought they even encouraged it—part of their membership retention program or something.

 

KEVIN

Ha! But some guy complained, so they had to take action.

 

JEFF

But we don’t mind, do we? Do you mind?

 

KEVIN

Apparently the Board of Health minds.

 

JEFF

But why would anyone complain? I mean if a guy comes in here, he knows what to expect. It’s not like they need to put up a sign or anything.

 

KEVIN

It was some prissy little queen passing through town. I was out in the locker room and heard the whole thing. He starts screaming at the towel guy. “I can’t believe it! I just can’t believe it! I live in West Hollywood, and I’ve never seen anything like that in my whole life!” Can you imagine? Lives in West Hollywood—goes to the gym out there—and he’s never seen anything like that in his whole life?  Does he wear a blindfold when he goes to the steam room?

 

JEFF

So, what happened?

 

KEVIN

The towel guy has to go get the manager, and the manager makes the guy show him who did it. So he looks around the locker room, and everyone’s staring into their locker pretending to be invisible, until he finally fingers one of them. Unbelievable! It was like the McCarthy witch trials right here in our little gym

 

JEFF

God, that’s horrible! Did they call the guy’s wife and tell her?

 

KEVIN

Whose wife?

 

JEFF

The guy they caught.

 

KEVIN

How do you know he’s got a wife?

 

JEFF

I just assume . . . 

 

KEVIN

Why do you assume?

 

JEFF

I don’t know. It just seems . . . Never mind.

 

KEVIN

Oh, so you think only closeted married guys use the steam room?

 

JEFF

Uh, no. I didn’t mean . . .

 

They sit in silence.

 

KEVIN

So how long have you and your wife been married??

 

END OF EXCERPT