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| Photo: Curtis Brown Photography |
Through November 8, 2026
By Jarice Hanson
In director Rob Ruggiero’s program notes, he says: “Sometimes, the people who drive us crazy may also be the ones we need the most.” That provocative comment is at the heart of this moving, emotional character study of the reclusive Aunt Sarah, played brilliantly by Denise Cormier, and her troubled nephew Ethan, boldly portrayed by Mishka Yarovoy.
Set in a small town in northern Idaho during the Covid-19 pandemic, Ethan comes to town to settle the estate of his late father, an abusive parent responsible for many of Ethan’s troubles, and reconnects with his Aunt who has her own challenges. Can these two overcome the painful obstacles in their lives, or will they aggravate each other so much that they become estranged?
The script, penned by Samuel D. Hunter, is painfully honest, but the play is so full of heart it involves the audience by forcing them to remember the pain of isolation during a time of fear and social distancing. The dialog unfolds like a beautiful dance around the issues that make us human.
The play is an “actor’s play” in that it gives the actors a chance to use their physicality to overcome the words they cannot speak. This technique allows each character to develop an inner drive that takes the audience on a journey of feeling and compassion.
Two additional characters help this “family drama” by offering solace, joy,and wisdom. Travis Anderson as James, a lonely gay man hoping for his own connection, and Janelle Anne Robinson playing the dual roles of Paulette and Vickie brings humor and comfort at the moments when they are most needed.
The set, designed by Michael Schweikardt and lighting by Matthew Richards, do more than create a mood. They work together to suggest the majesty of the universe and the solitary beauty of a place where the topography dictates how “close” or “far” the characters are from others. The beautiful backdrop plays against a simple couch where most of the action takes place, giving a televisual feel to the 95-minute drama. In fact, it’s easy to see why the show was originally written for Laurie Metcalf, known to many as Roseanne Barr’s wacky sister, Jackie, to play Aunt Sarah at the Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago, her “home” theatre company. She also reprised the role when the show opened on Broadway in 2025. Cormier has moments when she looks and sounds a little like Metcalf, but her performance is original and highly effective.
Original music was written by Billy Bivona, who not only wrote original music for the memorable TheaterWorks production of “Constellations,” has toured the country as a guitarist for the hauntingly powerful “Come From Away.”
This is a show that grabs the audience and takes them on a journey of self-reflection and empathy. It’s about as perfect a production as one can be.
