Feature: 'NIGHT, MOTHER - at Some Theatre Company

With our news headlines of late including the sad deaths of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, it seems timely that Some Theatre Company, based in Orono, decided to tackle the incredibly thought provoking play, 'night, Mother by Marsha Norman.

Written by one of America's most talented playwrights, 'night, Mother won the Dramatists Guild's prestigious Hull-Warriner Award, four Tony nominations, the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and a Pulitzer Prize in 1983.

Some Theatre Company hopes this play will spark many discussions about one of our most taboo subjects in today's society, suicide. It should be noted however, that 'night, Mother is not just a play about someone's right to choose to end their life, rather, it's more a dialogue about contemporary life and what it gives us, or rather fails to give us, namely, value.

'night, Mother offers a close, thought-provoking, and emotionally complex, storyline that confronts subjects that are still considered off-limits like mental health, family dysfunction, and depression. The intensity of Norman's scenes will shake the audience's emotions. The up-close and personal set design will make the audience feel as if they are watching real life unfold before them. Everything on stage actually works, including the wall clock, as the play happens in real time. Thelma and Jessie' lives are built on local gossip, and household obligations that have become ritualized and mundane. Before this very night neither woman has articulated their true feelings to the other. As each character's solitude is uncovered the more we realize that Jessie's decision to end her life may not be the most tragic point of the play, but instead her mother's awakening to the inexorable logic of that verdict.

Helming this production is Logan Bard, his love for this piece of theatre is incredibly real as he has been working on it for a considerable amount of time, often using the text in his theatre classes at UMaine, Orono. Tackling the emotional roles of mother and daughter are Stacy Laflin (Jessie) and Margaret Roach (Thelma) - neither is a stranger to theatre, but, this is their first time working with Some Theatre Company, who readily welcomes local actors into their ever-growing family.

With titles such as Next to Normal, Hand to God, Spring Awakening and Agnes of God under their belt, Some Theatre Company is known for producing shows other companies often would not dare to tackle. Obviously, this is the kind of productions theatre goers want to see, as their audience base has grown dramatically over the 2 ½ years they have been on the scene, and people are clamoring for more pieces that have a social dialogue, specifically from Some Theatre Company who while only a community theatre, work to a professional standard.

With suicide-related talks at their peak last year and mental health issues sometimes being at the root of a person's choice to take their life, productions like, 'night, Mother are much needed, as often theatre is a way to break down barriers and create much needed discussions amongst families and friends.

Catch, 'night, Mother - August 24th, 25th at 7.30pm and 25th, 26th at 2pm
Keith Anderson Community House, 19 Bennoch Rd., Orono

For more information and tickets please visit: www.stcmaine.org

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