Doyle Smiens’ Truth Be Told celebrating PRIDE 2023 at Santa Monica Playhouse

Join us in celebrating PRIDE 2023 as Santa Monica Playhouse presents Truth Be told, written by and starring Doyle Smiens, and directed by Ann Wellman. This powerful solo show is Smiens’ coming out story, but also a story about how he found his way back to himself, struggling with disappointment, betrayal, rejection, and despair on his journey to self-discovery. Smiens’ powerful story will make you laugh, cry, as well as think, in a poignant and emotionally moving way that inspires hope. The show culminates in a Q&A with Doyle.

Director Ann Wellman tells us, “Doyle’s story is important and unfortunately is going to resonate all too closely with some of our LGBTQ friends. For others of us, it is an intimate look into the life of a man who beat the odds and finally stepped out of the shadows to let himself be seen. I hope listening to Doyle’s story makes all of us grow a little more CONNECTED whether we had similar experiences or not. Hopefully Doyle’s story will help encourage all of us to share our stories—both the good and the bad, but especially our rough edges. I find these jagged bits to be the more interesting parts of ourselves anyway. We connect over our brokenness. It is not easy to share that part of ourselves we have hidden away and prefer to forget, but when we do the light shines in. In Truth Be Told, you will see Doyle GLOW!”

Santa Monica Playhouse programs are supported in part by generous grants from the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Arts Commission, the Ahmanson Foundation, the Rotary Club Foundation and Playhouse PALS.