"David's Mother" by Bob Randall and directed by Jessica Franz closes January 30 at Olathe Community Theatre Association (OCTA).
Twenty years after the Off-Broadway debut, David's Mother, a hugely successful comedy-drama centering on a brutally honest mother and her changing relationship with her autistic son, will be presented by OCTA. Bob Randall, who wrote the play 6 Rms Riv Vu and the television series Kate & Allie is unafraid to explore the realities of parenting under the most difficult of circumstances.
Director Jessica Franz says of the intricate play "It's the story of a single parent of an autistic child, with a low-paying, work-at-home job, whose husband and daughter have left her, and all she can do to keep from sinking is to use her wit, use the comedy in her life to keep her going. It's inspiring and sad and yet, throughout, it's funny. I think audiences will really respond to this production."
The cast for David's Mother is:
Sally - Ellie DeShon
David - Lucas Piercy
Gladys - Cynthia Evans
Phillip - Andy Penn
Susan - Katie Bettis
Bea - Cathy Wood
John - Denny Dey
Justine - Kali Johnson
"The humor was the first thing that jumped out at me" says Director Franz. "Laughing my way through a dramatic piece of theatre made me realize there was more than meets the eye. The way that Mr. Randall plays with time and intersperses past and present was very interesting to me. I love the way that moments in the present trigger memories in Sally's mind, therefore causing them to happen, and then being able to see how they affect her in the present."
Ticket prices are: $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $12 for students with a student ID, and $10 for children 12 and under.
For more information or to reserve tickets online please visit the theatre website at www.olathetheatre.org.
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