DRAGON IN THE DROP-OFF LANE Kicks Off New Year at The Marsh

The Marsh Berkeley has announced that due to popular demand it has scheduled an extended run of Lisa Rothman's hit show, Dragon in the Drop-Off Lane. This hilarious and cautionary tale describes what happens when Rothman's Oakland-raised kids venture into the fairytale world of Marin, where all the children seem to know how to sew, speak in a "Crystal Cave whisper," and decorate their (vegan) gingerbread men with stevia icing, carob chips, and unsweetened coconut flakes. Of course, no fairytale would be complete without a fairy godmother to help Rothman reckon with her parenting choices. A wry, comedic, and incisive look at the profound societal differences between gritty East Bay living and the idealized-to-the-point of ridiculous realm of Marin, Dragon in the Drop-Off Lane will be presented January 19 - February 23, 2019 (press opening January 19) with performances 5:00pm Saturdays at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. For tickets ($20-$35 sliding scale, $55-$100 reserved) or more information, the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call The Marsh Box office at 415-282-3055 (open Monday through Friday, 1pm-4pm).

This show, which provides an immersive theatrical experience and production values rarely seen in a solo show, offers up rollicking and unsettling stories of Rothman's adventures with her own kids that are appropriate for a range of audiences, including children as young as 10. Rothman says, "I want to spark conversation between parents and children about what actually helps kids feel safe. Parents who have the best of intentions sometimes inadvertently expose their children to even more risk as they set off into the woods of puberty and adolescence. That's one of the topics I hope to bring to the table, as we all trip over ourselves to provide 'perfect' childhood experiences for our kids." Post-show discussions, hosted by a variety of radio personalities, will include discussions on fears parents harbor - and those they don't want to admit - and how they shape life choices, judgments, and how children are raised.

In this heartfelt farce, Rothman takes audiences on a journey that includes her kids dodging bullets at the East Bay local park, and then experiencing Winter Solstice Carnival in Marin where experiences are even more surreal.

Among comments from her recent run: "Dragon in the Drop-Off Lane was thought-provoking. The ideas it brought up got into my head and wriggled around for days. It impacted me and my thoughts on parenting choices in significant ways," said a parent of grown children. "I was expecting something about PTA and the school drop-off lane. The explorations of Marin vs. Oakland and contrasting parenting styles were much more interesting," commented an East Bay PTA Dad. Parents of two toddlers added, "We loved it. As parents - particularly Oakland parents - we grapple with these themes. We've talk about the play since we saw it." Even a Marin resident chimed in, "I can't stop thinking about the play. While the questions it raises are profound, it is very entertaining with lots of laughs."

Described as "a natural-born storyteller" (The Bay Area Reporter), Rothman's first solo show, Date Night at Pet Emergency, was extended three times at The Marsh in Berkeley and San Francisco. Lisa Rothman (Playwright/Performer) spent a decade at KPFA Radio in Berkeley, working her way up from News Department Intern to Executive Producer of The Morning Show, when Andrea Lewis and Philip Maldari were the co-hosts. Along the way she anchored the Morning News, helped produce the annual KPFA Crafts Fair fundraiser, and did investigative reporting that resulted in closer oversight of Oakland businesses that do metal plating. Her work has garnered awards from the California Teachers Association, the National Federation of Community Broadcasters and the National Educational Media Network. In addition to raising her children, Rothman's other adventures most recently include ballroom dancing in China and hosting a nationally distributed radio show, Chew On This, at a food truck park in San Francisco.

David Ford (Director) has been collaborating on new and unusual theater for three decades and has been associated with The Marsh for most of that time. The San Francisco press has variously called him "the solo performer maven," "the monologue maestro," "the dean of solo performance," and "the solo performer's best friend." Collaborators include Geoff Hoyle, Echo Brown, Brian Copeland, Charlie Varon, Marilyn Pittman, Rebecca Fisher, Wayne Harris, and Marga Gomez. As a director, Ford has directed both solo and ensemble work regionally at The Public Theater, Second Stage, Theatre for the New City (NY), Highways (LA) and Woolly Mammoth (Washington, DC) as well as at theaters around the Bay Area including Magic Theatre and Marin Theatre Company. He is also a published playwright.

Photo credit: David Allen

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