The Defectors

by Nick Malakhow

June 2021

Synopsis

Carina and Ale meet on the Beehive, an online pro-recovery support group for people with eating disorders. Dissatisfied with the steps they are or aren’t taking in their own lives, they decide to meet IRL after connecting through private messages. Will they find in one another what they think they’re looking for–a sympathetic and in the flesh human to help them on their own paths to recovery?

About the Playwright

Nick Malakhow (he/him/his) is a Dominican and Ukrainian writer and theater educator based in Boston. His full-length work includes Seeing Eye (developed with Victory Gardens, Fresh Ink, finalist for the 2019 O’Neill NPC, the 2018 LTC/HowlRound Carnaval, and the 2020 In-Progress Reading Series at the Unicorn Theatre), A Picture of Two Boys (developed with Abingdon Theatre Company, Mirrorbox Theatre Company, Skylight Theatre Company, the Quarantine Series), and Grit (developed with Playhouse on Park, Fuse Theater, Theatre@First). His other work has been developed or produced by the Open Theatre Project, the Q Collective, and as part of the 2018 Boston Theater Marathon. Nick was a Company One Playlab Unit member for C1’s 2019 season. He has also taught theater, English, and creative writing at the secondary level for over ten years in the greater Philly and Boston areas. He grew up in the diverse town of Teaneck, NJ. BA: Swarthmore College, MA: Emerson College