Who'd Love Lucy? at The Flea

Who’d Love Lucy? isn’t like other plays — it’s the story of Lucy, a messy young woman haunted by careless exes, her fear of being honest about what she wants, and a regretful past. The play unfolds inside Lucy’s head, a space of humorous anecdotes and blunt self-examination where deception, of Lucy herself and the audience, has no place. Believing herself beyond repair, Lucy is rescued not by Prince Charming but by a steadfast friend; platonic love breaks her cycle, though she still hopes for romance (and probably needs therapy first). Playwright Molly Stern skewers modern dating: situationships, hidden desires to avoid vulnerability, and carelessness that begets loneliness. Its lesson is tidy and true — honesty is the best policy, love isn’t a game to play or win, and you can’t hide from your own skeletons forever. Women like Lucy — crazy girls — are rarely trusted as reliable narrators, instead dismissed as overly emotional and dramatic. But Who’d Love Lucy? takes her and the pain she feels seriously, because no one should be made to feel crazy for trying to find love.

Written by Molly Stern, Co-directed by Abby Bettencourt and Peyton Strong.

Who’d Love Lucy? was produced in 2024 at The Tank NYC as part of LimeFest, a collection of theatrical pieces created by and highlighting the voices of female and gender non-conforming artists. The Playground Theatre in London staged a reading of Lucy in 2026.