the love object by Justine Gelfman

On the eve of Ramona’s sold-out stadium tour, her best friend and trusted assistant, Paula announces she is leaving to pursue her own artistry. Fearing the loss of her closest confidante, Ramona reveals that a sex tape she made is about to be released, tainting her image (and ticket sales) forever. Will Paula stay and clean up Ramona’s mess one more time or finally escape the oppressive celebrity machine for good? A contemporary adaptation of Euripides’ Hippolytus, THE LOVE OBJECT examines the hypersexualization of women celebrities, the power struggles of interracial friendship, and the tragedies of late-stage capitalism, all through the bubblegum veneer of an early 2000s pop superstar.