Maurice Emmanuel Parent Stars in TheaterWorks Hartford's MR. PARENT

TheaterWorks Hartford announced today that Mr. Parent by Melinda Lopez with Maurice Emmanuel Parent will stream on demand March 7 - 26, 2021 to members and single ticket buyers. Conceived and directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian (New York Theatre Workshop), Mr. Parent is a hilarious, joyful, and heartbreakingly honest peek into the kids, adults, and systems of Boston Public Schools.

In a performance that is both endearing and heartrending, Maurice Parent shares the broken truths about his real-life adventures teaching in an urban public school system. Known and beloved to Boston audiences, Maurice (Huntington Theatre Company, The Front Porch) shares his personal journey as both a teacher and an actor trying to make 'a go of it' in the urban tumble of Boston's public school system. This is a love letter to Boston.

These are stories told from a lived experience about the racism that divides our cities and the systemic failures at almost every level to protect and educate children. Playwright Melinda Lopez (Playwright-in-Residence, Huntington Theatre Company) said "Megan had a feeling about these stories-the funny, the sad, the urgent; about hope and faith and failure, and the many ways society fails our kids. And about teachers who give everything to their students, but despair that they don't make a difference. There was also something about Maurice - how he belonged so completely in the rehearsal room AND the classroom. Mr. Parent follows the journey of a singularly talented black queer man, who believes that theatre can transform lives ... it's also the story of every person who has ever wondered if their lives make a difference."

Mr. Parent is a developmental piece and is not open for review. It is a streamed reading of a new play and is a part of The WORKshop Series.

In these uncertain times, TheaterWorks Hartford believes in and is committed to supporting developmental pieces in progress. While audiences know TheaterWorks for producing important contemporary stories, this season the theater is also supporting playwrights, new works and new voices. The current 2020-2021 season includes 12 productions ­­- 5 are a part of The WORKshop Series. Mr. Parent is the 6th play in the 2020-2021 Season.

Mr. Parent will stream on demand from March 7-26, 2021. Tickets, priced at $25 or $20.21 for monthly memberships, can be purchased online at www.twhartford.org or by calling 860.527.7838.

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