Up the Ladder, Down the Slide by David Valdes

Old friends Laurel, Karen, and Oscar meet for cocktails each week as a safe harbor when they find themselves all at once in the crux of the "sandwich generation," parenting their own declining parents. Laurel's live-in dad has had Alzheimer's for years, while Karen's mom is newly diagnosed with dementia, and Oscar's mom is in hospice. Their bonds are tested by the unpredictable...
Old friends Laurel, Karen, and Oscar meet for cocktails each week as a safe harbor when they find themselves all at once in the crux of the "sandwich generation," parenting their own declining parents. Laurel's live-in dad has had Alzheimer's for years, while Karen's mom is newly diagnosed with dementia, and Oscar's mom is in hospice. Their bonds are tested by the unpredictable roller coaster of grief, hope, anger, humor, shame, and an endless quest for "one last good day." The play mixes raw portraits of their lives with magical elements and features a POC and LGBT cast. 2019 National Showcase of New Plays.
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Up the Ladder, Down the Slide

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear:
    20 Jun. 2021
    “ A powerful look at family, care taking and loss. Moving and well done. ”
  • National New Play Network:
    5 Oct. 2020
    “ Up The Ladder, Down The Slide by David Valdes was featured in NNPN's 2019 National Showcase of New Plays. ”
  • Sammy Pontello:
    8 Jan. 2020
    “ I was lucky enough to see the reading at the Orlando Shakes and was absolutely floored by this play. Grateful to have the opportunity to read it here now, and there isn't a person alive I don't think wouldn't find at least one moment of grace, of worth, in this. A very real look at families and all of the kinds of grief - and love, and life - contained within them. ”
View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

The play is written for 8 with one actor playing Lonnie/Mike/Barback. Those roles could be split into three or two (one actor playing Lonnie, one playing Mike/Barback).

  • Laurel
    40's-50's,
    African American
    ,
    Female-identifying
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Karen
    40s-50s,
    Asian American
    ,
    Female-identifying
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Oscar
    40s-50s,
    Latinx
    ,
    Male Identifying
    Oscar is Latinx, born and raised in the US, no (or very little) accent.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • The Commodore
    80s,
    African American
    ,
    Cisgender Male
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • JoAnn
    Late 60s-70s,
    Asian American
    ,
    Cisgender Female
    JoAnn has lived in the US her whole life, daughter of immigrants, with perfect English
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Mamita
    69,
    Latina
    ,
    Female
    Mamita speaks fluent English and Spanish alike; a daughter of immigrants, she was raised here
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Vee
    20s or early 30s,
    Asian American (or, Any
    ,
    Female-identifying
    Vee may be the same ethnicity as Karen, mixed, or any race if played as adopted.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Lonnie
    20s-30s,
    Any
    ,
    gender non-conforming
    Lonnie also plays Mike and Barback, all genderqueer or gender nonconfirming but using male or neutral pronouns. Pronouns may be he or they depending on the performer cast.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Non-binary

Development History

Awards

Finalist
,
Artist Fellowship
,
Massachusetts Cultural Council
,
2019
Finalist
,
Eugene O’Neill Center National Playwrights Conference
,
O’Neill Center
,
2019
Finalist
,
Ashland New Plays Festival
,
2019