Review: MAMA'S BOY at GSP is Intriguing Drama

"It's my responsibility to defend my son and that's just what I'll do till my dying day."

Marguerite Oswald in Mama's Boy

George Street Playhouse (GSP) opens their highly anticipated 2016/2017 Season with the New York metro area premiere of Mama's Boy through November 6th. The play is written by Rob Urbinati and directed by The Playhouse's Artistic Director, David Saint. This absorbing family drama has excellent staging and features the finest cast imaginable. Saint, who is now celebrating his 20th Anniversary as GSP's Artistic Director, has once again selected a great show for the world-class stage in New Brunswick.

Mama's Boy is an unsettling yet intriguing depiction of what may have happened in the Oswald family during the months that led up to the assassination of President Kennedy. Marguerite Oswald is an unreasonable, headstrong woman, obsessive in her need to be loved by her youngest and favorite son, Lee Harvey. She repeatedly denies his problematic behavior and believes that he is an agent working for the United States government. Marguerite's overbearing personality consistently causes discord within her family. The story is also realistic depiction of Lee Harvey's political and social discontent, his turbulent marriage to Marina Oswald, and his relationship with one of his older brothers, Robert. This captivating drama reveals the complexities of a dysfunctional family and lends an interesting view of the Oswald family.

The cast of Mama's Boy is outstanding. They portray the distinctive characters with dramatic intensity along with some unexpected humor. The company includes Betsy Aidem as Marguerite Oswald; Laurel Casillo as Marina Oswald; Michael Goldsmith as Lee Harvey Oswald and Miles G. Jackson as Robert Oswald. Boyd Gaines plays the Voice of the Interviewer. The show's scenes and the interplay between the actors is so realistic, it feels as though you are experiencing a piece of history.

The Creative Team brings Mama's Boy to life on the GSP stage with scenic design by Michael Anania; costume design by Michael McDonald and original music composition and sound design by Scott Killian. The stage Manage is Tom Clewell and the casting is by McCorkle Casting, Ltd.

See Mama's Boy. The production is sure to please history buffs, theatre aficionados and many more. This is a play that should have a long life on the American stage.

Mama's Boy runs for 1 hour and 39 minutes with one 15-minute intermission. The show will be performed at George Street Playhouse through November 6th. The Playhouse is located at 9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick in the heart of the city's vibrant theatre and dining district. It is easily accessed by mass transit and there is convenient parking nearby. For more information and ticketing and season's subscriptions, visit https://www.georgestreetplayhouse.org/ or call 732.846.2895.

Photo Credit: T. Charles Erickson

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