Love Will Find You

He’s Different Takes a Witty and Insightful Look at Contemporary Dating

“It was just a party…a normal Halloween party, smack in the middle of Bushwick, when everything changed.”

So proclaims Liv, a contemporary dancer, who toasts the holiday with her roommate Naomi as the intriguing tale of He’s Different unfolds.

The two friends watch the costumed revelers, scoping for someone worth flirting with like they’re picking lobsters from a tank. (Their choices this evening include Scooby-Doo and Jeffrey Dahmer.)

“I haven’t had sex in six months!” laments a frustrated Naomi. She is overheard and approached by Hugh, resplendent in a boat captain’s hat, silk red robe, and conspicuously zero pants—the walking example of everything the women don’t want.

Liv is also single and adrift, noting that “most men are trash.” She’s holding out for someone suitably enlightened, feminist—and dare we say, woke. “All these guys are cute, but most of them probably don’t know the difference between Greta Thunberg and Greta Gerwig,” she observes. She points out a new arrival to the party, Travis, as a likely example. “How do I know that he wouldn’t skip our wedding for a football game?”

But then she spies a “Trans Lives Matter” sticker on his water bottle, and it piques her interest. “I got this from a cute little store in Brooklyn, owned by a trans activist,” Travis explains. “They make cute little merch like this to fund gender reassignment surgery for homeless teens.” The cynical Liv wonders if this is just the latest pickup line, but Travis keeps passing her tests, impressing in every way imaginable (Exhibits A-C: He works at a Senior Center, loves the aforementioned Greta Gerwig, and finishes Lynn’s sentences).

Liv is all-in: she grows not only intrigued, but smitten in a way she never thought possible, as her weary skepticism morphs into teenager-like infatuation. “What if he doesn’t text me back?” she whines, followed by a squealed, triumphant “HE TEXTED ME!” when he actually does, under the wary gaze of Naomi. And so the mystery begins—is this guy the real thing or the ultimate poser? Is this “smart and sweet” persona a disguise, no more real than the other costumes at the party? The question sets off a gripping journey, with a very amusing twist, and in the end, a poignant message about where real love can be found.

He’s Different is an insightful treatise on relationships in the here and now—taking a microscope to our desires, insecurities, turn-ons and offs, green flags and dealbreakers. It does so with a sharp, knowing wit that will keep you laughing and nodding in recognition. The sight of the previously grounded and Bechdel-test passing Liv melting into limerent obsession tells a truth about the malleability of the human psyche that is undeniable, and well worth exploring. The actors bring the story to life deftly, creating recognizable archetypes with warmth and humor. It all comes together to make He’s Different an enjoyable and satisfying experience.

He’s Different is written by Arianna Wellmoney. It was showcased at the Chain Theatre in the summer of 2024, as directed by Bradly Valenzuela, with Wellmoney as Liv, Kiamba Doyling as Travis, Megan Catalina as Naomi, and James Nash as Hugh.