James Lecesne, Tony Speciale & CaringKind VP Set for THE MOTHER OF INVENTION Talkback at Abingdon

Abingdon Theatre Company will offer a talkback on Thursday, February 23 following the 7:30pm performance of THE MOTHER OF INVENTION, a new play about how one family deals with the effects of Alzheimer's.

The post-show discussion includes playwright James Lecesne (The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey), director Tony Speciale (Unnatural Acts), and Matt Kudish, Senior Vice President of Caregiver Services at CaringKind, at the June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36tth Street).

CaringKind is New York City's leading expert on Alzheimer's and dementia caregiving. With over 30 years of experience, they work directly with community partners to develop the information, tools and training to support individuals and families affected by dementia. CaringKind offers a 24-hour Helpline run by professional staff, individual and family counseling sessions with licensed social workers; a vast network of support groups; education seminars and training programs; early stage services and a wanderer's safety program. CaringKind believes in the power of caregiving and seek a world where everyone dealing with dementia has the support they need, when they need it. For more information about CaringKind, go to caringkindnyc.org.

Matt Kudish, LMSW, is Senior Vice President of Caregiver Services at CaringKind. In this role, Matt is responsible for the organization's programs and services for people living with dementia and everyone involved in their care, including the 24-hour Helpline, Social Work Services, Support Groups, Education programs, and Training initiatives across the five boroughs of New York City. He also oversees the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Early Stage Center, which provides programs and support to persons with dementia and their care partners. Recognized for his expertise and dedicated leadership in the field of geriatrics, Matt is the recipient of the 2012 Beatrice M. Goldberg Community Award by the West Side Inter-Agency Council for the Aging and the 2010 Emerging Social Work Leadership Award by the National Association of Social Workers, NYC Chapter. He is also a steering committee member of the NYC Elder Abuse Center. Matt received his Master's degree from Columbia University School of Social Work and has Post Master's Certificates in Non-Profit Executive Leadership and Clinical Supervision from New York University's School of Social Work. Matt was an inaugural Fellow in the Belle and George Strell Fellowship in Executive Leadership at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, and is a 2017 candidate for his Master's in Public Administration at New York University's Wagner School of Public Service.

THE MOTHER OF INVENTION stars Concetta Tomei, with James Davis, Dan Domingues, Alexa Shae Niziak, Angela Reed, and Dale Soules.

When Dottie Nerber's son and daughter arrive to pack up the contents of their mother's Florida home, their conflicting memories of her collide. As the siblings unpack family secrets, they must separate fact from fiction and are forced to question the narratives of their own lives. James Lecesne's new full-length play is an unflinching and comedic look at how one family deals with the effects of Alzheimer's. It asks why we tell the stories we do about the people we love, and how we live with those stories after they've been debunked.

The creative team includes Jo Winiarski (Scenic Design), Daisy Long (Lighting Design), Paul Marlow (Costume Design), Christian Frederickson (Sound Design), Jerry Marsini (Prop Master) and Ryan Bourque (Fight Choreographer). Deidre Works is Production Stage Manager.

Note: THE MOTHER OF INVENTION contains nudity. Not recommended for ages under 13. THE MOTHER OF INVENTION concludes its limited engagement on February 26. Performances run Tuesday-Saturday at 7:30PM; plus matinees Saturday at 2:30PM and Sunday at 2:00PM at Abingdon Theatre Company's June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Tickets are $55. For tickets, visit abingdontheatre.org or call 212-352-3101.

Abingdon is dedicated to developing and producing new work by emerging and established American artists. Under the artistic direction of Tony Speciale, the company provides a safe home where playwrights, directors and actors can collaborate within a supportive and nurturing environment. Abingdon Theatre Company searches for stories about the human experience that reflect our social, political, historical and cultural diversity. To date, the company has collaborated with more than 200 playwrights, produced 89 New York and world-premiere plays, presented more than 700 readings, staged over 175 ten-minute plays, and commissioned 6 one-act plays. Notable artists who have worked with Abingdon Theatre Company include Carl Andress, Bryan Batt, Reed Birney, Robert Brustein, Mario Cantone, Maxwell Caulfield, Dick Cavett, John Epperson, Jane Greenwood, Arthur Kopit, Ralph Macchio, Roberta Maxwell, Charles L. Mee, Iddo Netanyahu, Jason O'Connell, Nancy Opel, Austin Pendleton, Sam Pinkleton, Marcia Rodd and Michael Weller. Abingdon's 2014 production of Brian Richard Mori's Hellman v. McCarthy, directed by founding artistic director Jan Buttram, was filmed and presented by WNET as part of its inaugural Theatre Close-Up series. Visit abingdontheatre.org.

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