See Me!

STAGE PLAY

Five women find themselves in a shelter basement, forced to confront their trauma, their assumptions, and each other in an intimate exploration of the journey to survival.

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Play Overview: Structure + Setting

Format: One-act drama

Cast: Five women from diverse backgrounds

Setting: The basement of a women's shelter in New York City

Time: Present Day

The Story

See Me! takes place in the basement of a women's shelter during a mandatory group session. Four women from vastly different backgrounds and circumstances find themselves thrown together, each carrying the weight of trauma that brought them to this place.

What begins as a routine administrative requirement becomes a raw, honest exploration of survival, judgment, and the unexpected connections that can form between strangers. As the women share their stories - some willingly, some reluctantly - they discover that their paths to this basement may be different, but their need for understanding and connection is universal. The Authority arrives to begin the meeting and disrupts the vulnerable bonding.

The play peels back the layers of assumption and stereotype to reveal the complex humanity of each woman, challenging both the characters and the audience to confront their own biases about who deserves help and who deserves judgment.

Main Characters

GERI SMITH (502)

Black, 30s. Returning to the program for the fifth time, determined to make it work. A compulsive knitter, carrying both visible and invisible wounds.

SUSAN MASTERSON (504)

White, 30s. From Long Island, new to the realities of abuse. Bruises hidden, movies are her refuge.

IRINA NOSTICH (505)

Ukrainian immigrant, 20s. Pregnant with third child, distrustful of systems, physically injured but mentally sharp. Sees through Terry's secrets.

TERESA (TERRY) JONES (507)

Latina, 20s. Fiery and volatile, caught between motherhood and the drug trade. Clings to control with her Rubik's Cube and cigarettes.

LEONOR GONZALEZ (Authority)

Puerto Rican, 40s. A tough survivor turned frustrated social worker. Hardened by years in the system, she challenges the women's fragile breakthroughs.

Core Themes

See Me! explores the intimate dynamics of crisis and connection:

1. The Power of Shared Story

2. The Judgment and Reconciliation Among Women

3. Trauma as Both Barrier and Bridge

4. Dignity in the Face of Dehumanization

The Theater Experience

See Me! is designed as an intimate theatrical experience, as the audience witnesses private moments of vulnerability and connection. The confined setting intensifies every interaction, so that the audience feels the judgment and the questioning that unfolds.The real-time structure allows the audience to experience the same discomfort, revelation, and eventual understanding as the characters themselves.

The Challenge

See Me! challenges audiences to move beyond their assumptions about DV. It asks us to consider: What would we need to survive? How would we want to be seen in our darkest moment?

"No one knew what was happening because I didn't either."
Anonymous Survivor

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