Hiding

A bit of an outsider, 16-year-old Danny Preston was devastated when his girlfriend, Laura, dumped him, claiming that he had no goals for the future. Despite the gulf between Danny’s lower-middle-class life and Laura’s privileged one, he thought they had something special together, that it might even be love. Danny describes himself as “good at hiding,” standing so still that eyes skip right over him, and he puts that skill to good use when he climbs through the basement window of Laura’s house. A consummate observer, Danny wanders through Laura’s empty, immaculate home after the family leaves for the day, reflecting on the relationship and discovering how little he really knew her. Danny’s loose, rambling narrative reveals a relatably flawed teen whose broken heart paves the way to a search for answers and understanding. A few startling revelations in the last act highlight Edgar nominee Turner’s talent for misdirection. This tense tale is a haunting meditation on self-acceptance and self-realization, and love found and lost. Ages 12–up. Agent: Dan Lazar, Writers House. (Apr.)