Story perspectives

Wallace Shawn's Darkly Humorous Play Explores Love and Death

3/6/2026

Summary

Story summary

Wallace Shawn, the playwright, premiered his off-Broadway play What We Did Before Our Moth Days at Greenwich House Theatre, directed by André Gregory.
The three-act drama features four actors delivering lengthy monologues on love, death, and legacy.
The term 'moth day,' coined by the character Dick, symbolizes death.
Critics note the play's dark humor and existential undertones and liken it to a glorified radio play that challenges traditional narrative structures.

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Story summary

Wallace Shawn, the playwright, premiered his off-Broadway play What We Did Before Our Moth Days at Greenwich House Theatre, directed by André Gregory.
The three-act drama features four actors delivering lengthy monologues on love, death, and legacy.
The term 'moth day,' coined by the character Dick, symbolizes death.
Critics note the play's dark humor and existential undertones and liken it to a glorified radio play that challenges traditional narrative structures.