With "A House by the Side of the Road," Philip Middleton Williams shows nuance in humanity through the cover of a lighthearted discussion of baseball. The personality of each character comes through to create a very real and relatable dynamic between the members of this family. He layers themes and subtext in a way that's subtle yet impossible to miss. These characters develop over the course of this play in a way that leaves you wanting to read more - good thing there's 6 more plays about them!

From the nostalgia feel to the immersive dialogue, Philip expertly paints the differences in relationship these boys have with each other and with their father. It's such a beautiful that I had to read it twice. As the starting line for the series, Philip gives us so much, but without telling us. Throughout the series I kept coming back to this first show and saying, "yeah, that makes sense." A testament to the expertly delivered dialogue, the fully developed, well layered characters, and strategic plot development. Amazing!

On the surface, this is a nostalgia play about baseball and a father passing down his love for the game to his sons. But there’s also a lot more to it than that. It’s a play that celebrates being in the moment, and making emotional connections that allow you to share that moment fully with the people you care most about. I look forward to reading more of the plays in this series.