Losing your theatrical virginity

Everyone remembers their first time – it’s just that most of us would likely prefer to forget it. But the cringe-inducing stories of furtive teenage fumblings form the very basis of Broadway producer and writer Ken Davenport’s hit off-Broadway play My First Time.

The show was born from a blog that emerged on the interwebz back in 1998 – in other words, those dark days of dial-up – in which readers could anonymously post their descriptions of their own first sexual experiences.

What was it, exactly, that made Davenport look at a website filled with X-rated confessions and say to himself, ‘I smell a hit show’?

“I believe that great drama is giving people a peek behind usually closed doors: The Sopranos opens the doors on the mob world, The West Wing on the workings of the oval office… My First Time literally gives them a peek behind bedroom doors. We all want to know what every else is doing in there and compare it to what we’ve done.”

Given it started up almost 15 years ago now, the blog seems, in retrospect, very much ahead of its time. Nowadays social media junkies are used to breathlessly sharing every aspect of their daily lives with scores of disinterested followers. But back then, to share such private details of your life online was almost unheard of.

“My First Time was a bit different in that it was anonymous. It allowed people a chance to share an intimate moment without their ‘friends’ or ‘followers’ chiming in,” Davenport pointed out.

Looking at the My First Time blog now – it’s still regularly updated – quality control is certainly an issue. Amongst the heartfelt and hilarious real-life entries are some that are clearly the product of wishful thinking: either that or an unusually high number of young boys lost their virginity while commandingly pleasuring their buxom babysitters.

“I sorted through a lot of fantasy stuff to find the real thing,” said Davenport.

“Usually, the real stuff had more details – and not about the sex. About the environment, the sounds, the mood.”

In the end, Davenport has constructed a concise-yet-diverse night of theatre. Here at the show’s debut Australian season, actors Sharon Millerchip, Josef Ber, Annie Maynard and Kristian Schmid will deliver the monologues.

“We have funny stories, sexy stories, awkward stories and everything in between. Audiences laugh, cry, reminisce and, yep, even get a little bit turned on,” he said.

“Audience members that come to the show usually have quite a night when they get home. Hopefully they have a date with them…”

And yes, Davenport assured us, same-sex attracted first-timers are well represented in the show.

“It just wouldn’t be an accurate study of this important moment in our lives if all sexualities weren’t represented.”

INFO: My First Time, Sydney Opera House, from January 3. www.sydneyoperahouse.com