Having paused her career to raise her daughter, 42 year old writer Johanna Dunham is finally plotting her grand return. She’s even one-upped Virginia Woolf and found the perfect 'house of one's own’ where she can write. But when her husband suffers a stroke, Johanna is thrust into life as a caregiver spouse and single mom to Lucy. After a disastrous visit to a caregivers support group, Johanna is on the brink of driving off into the night, when she nearly runs over Len, the handsome young firefighter-next-door longing for an escape of his own…A funny, messy, honest look at surviving life’s curveballs. “Artist moms are different cause they need lots of sleep, except at night.”
Keywords: women, mother, daughter, caregiver, caregiving, affair, marriage, parenting, puberty, coming of age, Shakespeare, firefighter, writer, writing, vibraphone, family, healing
Produced by Here for Now Theatre, Stratford ON, August 2022
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Acts: 1
Run time: 90 minutes
Content note: Contains swearing, references to a stroke, suggestion of a sexual relationship
Cast size: 3 actors
Male roles: 1
Female roles: 2
Musicians required: 1
Casting notes: The character of Len is written as Black, but the playwright is open to considering casting of a non-white actor who identifies as another racialized minority (with a small script adjustment - please contact).
The role of Lucy, age 12, is preferably played by a youth actor (age 12-18), though it may be cast with an adult (age 18-25) if necessary.
A live musician (vibraphone) is preferred, but not strictly necessary should it be prohibitive to the viability of producing the work.
"Really moving and funny"
"Its blend of humour and tenderness is so resonant with real life"
"The heartfelt story unfolded with grace and grit in this touching script"