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Prichini da badesh shtastliv
REASONS TO BE HAPPY
A contemporary play by Neil LaBute, simultaneously romantic, painfully realistic, and astonishingly funny — a story about second chances, about the choice to stay or to leave, and about those small reasons that lead us toward our own happiness.
With plenty of humor, sharp and honest dialogue, and a laying bare of human frailties, the play poses key questions: How much are we willing to forgive? What is true intimacy? And can a person be happy when they do not know themselves?
At the center of the plot is a couple who have broken up but have not yet put their feelings to rest. When the former partners meet again, they confront all those unspoken truths, small hurts, and big hopes that continue to keep them together — or pit them against each other. Meanwhile, their best friends find themselves entangled in their own web of desires, jealousy, and insecurity.
About the play’s journey
Neil LaBute’s Reasons to Be Happy is a companion piece to his Broadway hit Reasons to Be Pretty, revisiting the same quartet of characters—Greg, Steph, Carly and Kent—some years later. The new play premiered Off‑Broadway with MCC Theater at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York, where LaBute directed Jenna Fischer, Josh Hamilton, Leslie Bibb and Fred Weller in the 2013 production. It stands on its own for newcomers, while rewarding anyone who knows the earlier story with sharp echoes and reversals.
The Bulgarian premiere and team
The Bulgarian staging opened on January 8, 2026 at City Mark Art Center in Sofia. Director Yavor Borisov leads a cast featuring Asen Blatechki, Kamelia Hatib, Lili Sucheva and Stefan Ivanov. The translation is by Sava Dragunchev, with scenography by Plamena Boeva and original music by Yan Rumenin. The production is presented by I AM Studio and the theatre collective Enso, and began touring immediately after its Sofia bow, including dates in Burgas and Varna during January.
What audiences notice first
LaBute writes collisions: scenes that burst into life, stall, and then lurch in unexpected directions. Here he zeroes in on the modern push‑and‑pull between second chances and self‑respect. Expect quick‑witted sparring, uncomfortable honesty, and the kind of silences that tell as much as the punchlines. With only four roles, the acting takes center stage; the evening thrives on chemistry, timing and the performers’ ability to flip from comedy to confession on a breath.
Why this production matters now
- It extends one of contemporary theatre’s most discussed relationship sagas into new territory: forgiveness after the fallout.
- The Bulgarian creative team treats the text as a live conversation with the audience—recognizably local in its humor, while keeping LaBute’s American cadence intact.
- The play speaks directly to anyone recalibrating adulthood: careers shifting, friendships fraying, and the suspicion that “growing up” might be a moving target.
Tip: You don’t need to have seen Reasons to Be Pretty to follow the plot. If you have, listen for how past choices reverberate—old wounds return, but so do hard‑won insights.
Fans of contemporary, character‑driven comedies on our stage often enjoy exploring kindred titles with romantic and satirical bite such as Lyubov po scenariy v HOLLYWOOD and the relationship merry‑go‑round of Otchayani sapruzi 2: Brakuvani. For sharper comic misunderstandings, see also Idiotyt zvyni vinagi tri pyti or the wry portrait of modern love in Vsicho tova e tya.
Contents advisory
The script features frank language and adult themes consistent with LaBute’s style.
Event partner information:
I AM Studio, Enso Theatre Association.
Event partner information:
I AM Studio, Enso Theatre Association.