Mouthwash
A New Play By Claudia Cromley
Mouthwash is a poignant 80-minute one-act drama about healing, accepting self-worth, and breaking cycles of trauma. Set in a small New York City apartment, the play follows Olive, a young writer struggling with an eating disorder and the lingering effects of childhood abuse. As she prepares for a poetry competition that could finally give voice to her inner child, Olive is forced to confront the complicated relationships that have shaped her: her well-meaning but deeply flawed roommate Candice, her steadfast best friend Len, and her semi-estranged brother Todd.
Through poetry, memory, and moments of song, Olive uncovers the ways silence, survival, and generational trauma have defined her life. Blending lyrical storytelling with sharp humor and emotional honesty, Mouthwash teaches us that healing begins when we stop waiting for others to save us and start saving ourselves.
.png)
2023
Writing begins
Mouthwash started as a series of poems that the author wrote in her journal, encouraged by her therapist. A huge shoutout to him.
2025
First read-through
The first reading of the first draft takes place in Cleveland, Ohio. Jaren Hodgson plays Len and Todd, Jimmy Lancaster plays Candice, and Claudia Cromley plays Olive.
2026
Invited read-through
The second reading of the second draft takes place in Brooklyn, New York. Harrison O'Callaghan plays Todd, Sawyer Whitted plays Len, Moss Jones plays Candice, and Amber Weissert plays Olive. Stage Directions are read by Evan Barclay. Sarah Matlow, Karlo Siriban, and Nima Brivanlou were in attendance.
September 2026
Fundraising begins,
Artist residency submitted
Performance Check starts fundraising for the production, and submissions go out with the finalized script!
