Stephen Tosha

The Play “Baby Boy” written by Craig McCartey and as a story told and co-author Stephen Tosha

"Baby Boy" tells the story of one man's fight back to life following a sexually abusive childhood relationship with his father and his discovery of his mother's complicity in allowing to happen. Over drinks with his mother on Christmas Eve, David confesses to her that he knew of his father's abuse of his step brother. She, in turn, tells David that she knew that his father did the same thing to David's older brother. This admission acts as the catalyst for David to face the truth of his own abuse by his father and to realize its implications in his current relationships, particularly with his mother and his partner, Bruno. With help from his therapist, he finally can say out loud what happened to him. He ultimately recognizes how the manipulation of his father and the selfishness of his mother have come together in his head and in the person of Bruno and their life together. As he grows stronger and braver, David confronts each of these relationships in a pas de deux that results in three distinct kinds of closure.

Woven into the story is David's humor, which he uses as both defense mechanism when he is not strong enough to move forward and coping device when he is ready. His mother and her story, particularly her relationship with the father, are developed through the use of music made famous by Connie Francis, the lyrics of which tell a different story than the pop music recordings indicate. The use of humor and music plus a steady steam of movie references are designed to help the audience move through the heavier material of the play, in much the same way that these things are used to help David and his mother through the truth of their lives. And, at least in David's case, to help him into the honest future he has fought so hard to obtain.