Too young for Woodstock. Too old for TikTok. And Larry Nickel is beginning to wonder where the hell that leaves him.
At 67, retired widower Larry thought he had life pretty well figured out. Then a clash with a young non-binary actor turns his community theatre production—and his assumptions about himself—upside down.
With his grandson Mark challenging him, his irreverent British neighbour Chuck refusing to let him wallow in nostalgia, and a changing world refusing to slow down long enough for him to catch up, Larry has a choice: retreat into the past or risk discovering that growing older doesn't mean you're finished growing.
Set over several summer days in an Oshawa backyard, Too Old for TikTok is a funny, provocative and ultimately hopeful comedy about family, friendship, generational collision and finding common ground in a world where everyone seems to be speaking a different language.
Keywords: Comedy, Contemporary Comedy, Community Theatre, Generational Comedy, Generation Gap, Intergenerational, Ageing, Seniors, Older Adults, Family, Grandfather, Grandson, Friendship, Male Friendship, Widowhood, Retirement, LGBTQ+, Non-Binary, Gender Identity, Pronouns, Social Change, Social Issues, Political Correctness, Cancel Culture, Culture Clash, Identity, Acceptance, Tolerance, Prejudice, Diversity, Pride, Actors, Theatre, Ontario, Oshawa
Genre: Dramatic Comedy
Acts: 2
Run time: 90 minutes
Suitable for students 16+
Content notes: Contains frequent strong language, mature humour and sexual references. Includes discussions of gender identity, sexual orientation, ageism, race, cultural differences, prejudice and changing social attitudes. Some characters express insensitive or outdated views as part of the play’s exploration of generational and cultural conflict. Contains references to suicide, as well as the deaths of spouses from cancer and a motor vehicle accident. No graphic violence or sexual content.
Cast size: 6 actors
Male roles: 4
Female roles: 1
Trans/Non-Binary/Gender Non-Conforming roles: 1
Casting notes:
LARRY NICKEL – male, 67; CHUCK WILDERMUTH – male, 66; MARK MacALLISTER – male, 22; JORDAN PATEL – non-binary, 19; FREYA LARSON – female, mid-50s, recorded voice only; ANIL GUPTA – male, 40s, recorded voice only.
Jordan uses they/them pronouns. With the exception of Larry, who is written as white, roles are open to performers of any racial or ethnic background. Only four actors appear onstage; Freya and Anil are recorded voices.
