ORDINARY PEOPLE to Receive Staged Reading

Almost Adults Productions presents a staged reading event:

Ordinary People, dramatized by Nancy Gilsenan, based on the book by Judith Guest, Saturday, October 27that 7:30 PM and Sunday October 28th at 2 PM, Warehouse 21, 1614 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501. Suggested donation is $15 cash or check at the door only. Featuring Koppany Pusztai, Aaron Leventman, Talia Pura, Jonathan Dixon, Mason Nyquist, Tyler Nunez, and Julia Gay.

Adapted from the novel by Judith Guest from which the Oscar-winning 1980 film was based, this rarely staged 1983 play adaptation deals with Conrad, an alienated teenager, who after the death of his older brother, returns home following an extended stay in a psychiatric hospital after attempting suicide. Conrad tries to reconnect with his emotionally stilted mother, Beth, and wounded father, Cal, with the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Berger while reaching out to his troubled hospital friend, Karen. But adapting to every day life creates many challenges.

There will be a post-performance Q&A with the cast, director, local psychotherapist Phillip Retzky and Katina Koehler; Executive Director of Gerard's House whose mission is to counsel grieving youth and their families through peer support.

Nancy Gilsenan Hersage (writer) is a Los Angeles writer who has written for all three networks and PBS. She is the author of 18 published stage plays and the winner of five national awards in playwriting, including two awards from the Eugene O'Neill Theater National Playwrights Conference. Her plays have been produced on three continents, and her award-winning play Beloved Friend was produced by the Kennedy Center.

Talia Pura (Director) is a filmmaker, playwright, actor, dancer and educator. She has created ten short dramatic films, which have played at various film festivals and on television. As a playwright, she has had many performances and several publications across Canada and in the USA. As an actor, she has appeared in many feature films, television shows and on many Canadian and New York City stages.

Almost Adults Productions' premiere performance in 2015 was a local program of LGBTQ-themed short plays by local playwright Aaron Leventman. This was awarded with a grant from the Envision Fund, then honored by the Mayor on opening night. Since then they have presented short plays at various festivals in New York including the original play Blanche in a Wheelchair which was a finalist at the Secret Theatre's One Act Play Festival in Long Island City and is soon to be published. Locally, they have produced staged readings of I Never Sang for My Father, Same Time Next Year, Crossing Delancey, and two short teleplays by Paddy Chayefsky.

For more information please email writingcoachsf@gmail.com

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