←Recommendations of Present Tense

There is such grace in a family play where you can picture the family ten years ago and well into the future. The siblings are individuals on their own but the strength of being in the same family rings out. Hageman’s humor, wit and compassion shine a bright light through these characters. They will argue, tease, make mistakes and drive each other crazy - all through the lens of family love. The ending is a thing of beauty.

“Do you ever feel like you don’t want anyone to be happy because you’re miserable?” Hageman taps into a familiar, deeply-rooted mindset that all of us have felt at least once in our lives. But the play becomes a beautiful lesson in altruism when three siblings learn to set it aside. Clever flourishes and realistic dialogue permeate, and the ending will change how you want the world to remember you when you’re gone.

This lively play feels so real in its portrayal of siblings — The way they store these memories, for good and ill, and enjoy bantering, chiding, teasing. Writer Hageman's voice is clear and *hilarious* — With snappy dialogue, chockfull of zingers, and a humane, connected throughline. This would be a playground for performers, full of humor, emotion and charm.