First Reads: Clarkston by Samuel D. Hunter

First Reads is a series of staged readings produced in partnership with Missoula Public Library.
Jake meets Chris when they are assigned to the same night shift at Costco in Clarkston, Washington. Chris has a hard life, and living in Clarkston has forced him down a dead-end road. Jake went to a liberal arts school, but fled his Connecticut town when he was diagnosed with a fatal illness. He and Chris form an awkward bond: both are gay, but have led completely different lives. Can they learn to help each other?

Award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and producer Samuel D. Hunter was raised in Idaho. His experiences in Idaho, Montana, and the broader northwest region have influenced much of his work, particularly in capturing the complexities and nuances of rural American life, and he frequently mentions Missoula in his scripts. One of his most famous plays, The Whale, was partially inspired by his experiences in the northwest, and was adapted to an Academy Award-winning film of the same name, directed by Darren Aronofsky, and starring Brendan Frasier. The Rep produced Hunter’s play I am Montana during its 2008-2009 season.