Waterfront Playhouse to Host Renowned Playwright (Conch Color)

Waterfront Playhouse to Host Renowned Playwright (Conch Color)

Posted Mon, Feb 1, 2016 in Articles

The Waterfront Playhouse presents Terrence McNally’s 2014 Tony-nominated play, Mothers and Sons through February 13th. The production is powerful, funny, beautifully acted and transformative.

Terrence McNally is one of the great contemporary playwrights of the American theater. He’s also something of a hometown guy, since he and his spouse, Tom Kirdahy own property in Key West and are frequent visitors when their busy schedule allows.

The Waterfront is honored to announce that Mr. McNally will participate in a “talkback” after the February 4th performance of Mothers and Sons. Director Murphy Davis and Mr. McNally
will discuss the playwright’s five-decade career, that includes four Tony Awards and such renowned works as Master Class, The Ritz, It’s Only A Play, Love! Valor! Compassion! Lips Together, Teeth Apart, as well as the musicals The Full Monty, The Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime.

Mothers and Sons is among his best plays, with the New York Observer calling the play “A masterpiece…profound. Heartbreaking. Triumphant.”

The play’s scenario concerns a mother paying an unexpected visit to the apartment of her late son’s partner. Twenty years have passed since the death of her son, but her feelings of loss and
anger are still palpable. She is stunned to find that her son’s partner is now married to another man and together they have a young son. Faced with the changing dynamics of what constitutes a family, she is challenged to confront the truths of her entrenched beliefs and a future she never imagined. The Chicago Tribune called Mothers and Sons, “Eloquent, exceptionally timely and intensely resonant.”

Directed by Murphy Davis, Mothers and Sons features an extraordinary cast. Joy Hawkins is the Artistic Director of the Red Barn Theater, where she’s directed and acted in many productions. At the Waterfront she has wowed audiences with her performances in Doubt, The Glass Menagerie, Six Dance Lessons and August: Osage County.

Matt McGrath just received rave reviews for the Off Broadway productions of Steve and The Legend of Georgia McBride. On Broadway, he has appeared Working, A Streetcar Named Desire and as the Emcee in Cabaret. He has a recurring role on Modern Family.

Trey Gerrald appeared at the Waterfront last season in Next Fall. He is a series regular on The Queens Project and has had guest appearances in popular series such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Orange Is the New Black, You’re the Worst, Next Caller and Deadbeat.

Making his professional stage debut is Jake Ferguson as Bud Ogden-Porter. A native Key Wester, Jake has appeared in Camp Bravo’s The Aristocats at the Waterfront.

Director Murphy Davis is the former Artistic Director of the Bay Street Theater and recently directed Casa Valentina and last year’s Next Fall at the Waterfront. Michael Boyer will create the Manhattan apartment. Carmen Rodriguez is in charge of props and costumes. Dennis Blake will do the lighting. Peggy Montgomery is the stage manager.

All performances are at 8 PM and the production is sponsored by Key TV. Tickets are $40 and are available at www.waterfrontplayhouse.org or at 305-294-5015.

Latest News

The latest happenings at The Waterfront Playhouse.

Trunk Material 5 comes to Waterfront Playhouse

For one performance only, the historic Waterfront Playhouse on Mallory Square will present the fifth and final installment of Trunk Material Sunday March 31  at 8pm. Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.waterfrontplayhouse.org or by cal [...]

One-Night-Only Staged Reading of “Ten Blocks on the Camino Real” by Tennessee Williams

Waterfront Playhouse to produce a one-night-only staged reading of the seldom produced “Ten Blocks on the Cam [...]

Agatha Christie thriller to open at Waterfront Playhouse

The award winning Waterfront Playhouse on Mallory Square has begun rehearsals for the next selection of their a [...]