Playwright John Shea (seen here with Vivian, 9), will have his new play unveiled at the Boston Playwright's Theatre.

Opening at Boston Playwright’s Theatre

By Andrew Firestone

Somerville playwright John Shea is at it again. His new play, Junkie, is opening at the Boston Playwright’s Theatre on August 25. Directed by Brett Marks, the play is a one-man show starring Sean Cote as “Cal” a recovering heroin addict.

Junkie is about a man who is in a 30-day rehab program looking back at all the things that led him to where he is.

What led this character to being in rehab? “Poverty, growing up in a house of alcoholism, domestic abuse, watching siblings give in to heroin addiction, watching people in his neighborhood just follow along with the crowd; no real drive, ambition or guidance, so it’s just really easy to fall,” said Shea.

“A lot of people think of junkies as like ‘they chose this.’ People who get addicted are in pain, they are hiding from something and nobody can know just how bad that addiction is,” said Shea.

During the course of Cal’s 30 days in rehab, he recalls an experience from his childhood. While waiting for a friend he sees a girl with mental disabilities walking down the street. All of a sudden, he doesn’t want his friend to come out, as he would only mock the girl.

Cal says, “I realized for the first time I had the power to hurt somebody, but I didn’t have the power not to [hurt them].” “He sees that he’s a follower,” said Shea. “He sees that he will go along with this stuff even if he doesn’t want to. “

“A lot of people don’t realize the choices they have. It’s safer to go along and be complacent, and let things happen around you instead of fighting against it or alienating the people in your world,” said Shea.

Why does Shea tell this story? “They aren’t bad people, they are not bad people,” he said of addicts. “They do terrible things. I mean, I’m sitting here saying a thief and someone who doesn’t take care of their kids; they are not a bad person, but it’s the addiction that takes over. I think people need to see that and understand that more. More sympathy for them. Maybe more help for them, more understanding.”

And what if the audience doesn’t have sympathy for heroin addicts and the details of their depravity?

“They’re going to see humanity,” said Shea.

“They are going to see a man who is in deep, deep pain. They’re going to see him bear his soul. And they are going to go back on the other side and say, ‘I hope this guy gets clean.’ That there is hope for this man, that they will like this guy.”

Junkie opens August 25 and runs till September 4. For more details visit http://www.argosproductions.com/.