One hour with one woman.  1 F

Meet Gloria Dickey, a delightful storyteller and observer of pop culture.  Gloria once dreamed of opening her own “kinderkennel”, a day care facility for children and their pets.  But that was before the freak accident that led to her being confined to the sofa in her living room during her convalescence.  Her weight ballooned to more than five hundred pounds, and now it’s been six years since she left the couch.

  Inspired by the true story of a Florida woman who “became her couch”, Gloria attempts to answer the most common question about her life:  How did this happen?  In doing so, she shares her thoughts on God, love, family, Katie Couric, the Sex and the City finale, and a nation that loves food, but is terrified of fat.

WINNER, 2009 METRO ATLANTA THEATRE AWARD:  Best Actress, Jo Howarth

""(Payne's) dialogue is compelling and funny and ultimately moving...  Let's contemplate Ms. Howarth's achievement for a moment here. Here is an actress trapped in a fat suit, unable to move an inch, who must grab our attention and hold it for what is essentially a 60-minute monologue.  She must make us not only understand this woman, but to finally like her and actually care about her fate. That she succeeds so well is not only commendable, but remarkable. This will be the performance to beat come award time next summer."   

-Brad Rudy, Atlanta Theatre Buzz

READ THE PRESS:

SOUTHERN VOICE:  Playwright Imagines Life Beyond the Headlines