MOTHER, MAY I

Development History

December, 2003

Draft 1

Discussions with trusted advisors, friends and my wife.  Some small changes made.

January, 2004

Reading at offices of NowCasting.Com (Burbank, CA)

                        CAST

ELLEN           –                 Nancy Brody

PAUL              –                 Stephen Markle

DANIEL         –                  Rick LaFond

SARAH          –                  Gabrielle Carteris

FRANNY       –                   Jackie Kashian

Revisions made based on discoveries in the reading.

March, 2004

Offhanded remark by my father makes me realize that a thing is left unspoken between Daniel and Paul.  Revision to include that thing is completed. 

April, 2005

            Stanley Drama Award Recipient

            Excerpted reading at The Lambs Club (NY, NY)

                        CAST

ELLEN           –                   Alena Gerst

PAUL              –                   Joe Jamrong

FRANNY       –                   Cynthia Dillon

April, 2006

Revisions made based on a thought that occurred to me in the shower.

February, 2010

Discussion with Craig Saavedra about a staged reading/backer’s audition leads me to realize there’s a small rewrite I’ve been putting off.   Two days after doing the rewrite I realize it throws off the literary symmetry and more small changes must be made to correct the imbalance, leading to . . .

April, 2010

            Reading at the Secret Rose Theater under the direction of Craig Saavedra.

                        CAST

ELLEN           –                Tess Harper

PAUL              –               Barry Bostwick

DANIEL         –                Joshua Malina

SARAH          –                 Daphne Zuniga

FRANNY       –                  Rachel Boston

Rachel Boston’s brilliant reading of Franny makes me consider rewriting to make the character younger than she currently is.  Finally decide working with Rachel on other projects is a better plan.

September, 2012

World premiere production at The Strand Theater in Baltimore, MD under the direction of Rain Pryor.  Well reviewed in local papers.  Well received by audiences.  Highest grossing play in the theater’s history.

January, 2013

              Reading at Comedy Actors’ Studio.

                                             CAST

ELLEN           –                   Winnie Holzman

PAUL              –                  Paul Dooley

DANIEL         –                   Joshua Malina

SARAH          –                   Erica Hanrahan-Ball

FRANNY       –                   Cathy Ladman