Distance

By Jerre Dye

Directed by Erica Weiss

Aug 25, 2016–Oct 1, 2016

Irene Radford has family. Caretakers too. But as her struggle with Alzheimers puts those she depends upon beyond her memory’s reach, new bonds form between those she’s leaving behind. Making her Strawdog debut, Jeff Award nominee Erica Weiss, director of Route 66’s acclaimed productions of A Twist of Water, The Downpour, and Cicada, as well as The Gift Theatre’s Grapes of Wrath, reunites with playwright Jerre Dye (Cicada) to bring to life this heartfelt and poetic world premiere that delves into questions of memory, identity, and the inevitability of change.

★★★½ “… lovely and affecting… Director Erica Weiss … has a sure handle on the rhythms of Dye’s language, which goes from poetic reverie to acerbic one-liners… The excellent cast dives into the material with gusto and compassion… In the growing canon of work about the effects of senility on family life, Dye’s play goes the distance with heart and smarts.”—Chicago Tribune

★★★★ “… nuanced new drama… [Dye] artfully constructs dialogue that articulates the rising tension as Irene’s dementia worsens. And with a Southern sensibility baked into the discourse (the setting is Memphis), he softens what could be overly heavy scenes with the right comedic punchlines.”—Time Out Chicago