Small Mouth Sounds: A Play

By Bess Wohl

Now heading to Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in a star-studded new production directed by three-time Tony winner Joe Mantello (Wicked) and starring Julia Roberts, Sarah Paulson, Paul Rudd, Martin Freeman, Greta Lee, and Isaac Powell.

"Leaves you moved, refreshed and, yes, maybe even enlightened." --The New York Times (Critic's Pick)

In the overwhelming quiet of upstate New York, six urbanites assemble for a week of silent reflection, desperate to escape their chaotic lives, heal their emotional wounds, and search for peace. Guided only by the disembodied voice of an unseen guru, the participants take a strict vow of silence.

But as the quiet days drag on, suppressed desires, unspoken grievances, and awkward human impulses burst through the stillness with hilarious and heartbreaking force.

Written by 2026 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Bess Wohl (Liberation), Small Mouth Sounds is a quiet, funny, and deeply poignant exploration of human connection. Told largely through physical action and nuanced subtext rather than traditional dialogue, Wohl's groundbreaking play asks how we answer life's biggest questions when words fail us.

Includes the complete original performance text, character notes, preface, and full stage directions.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 146831517X
• ISBN13: 9781468315172
• Release Date: October 2019
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.4" x 8.0"