Close Your Eyes

by Andrew Levine

This story is about a family facing a crisis. The conflict emerges as a 15-year-old autistic boy named Jeffrey is becoming stronger, more violent and difficult to control. The family – his two parents and an older brother and a younger sister – struggles with the decision to institutionalize him. The play takes places in the late 1960s when the stigma of “mental retardation” (a phrase that has thankfully been...

This story is about a family facing a crisis. The conflict emerges as a 15-year-old autistic boy named Jeffrey is becoming stronger, more violent and difficult to control. The family – his two parents and an older brother and a younger sister – struggles with the decision to institutionalize him. The play takes places in the late 1960s when the stigma of “mental retardation” (a phrase that has thankfully been retired) was much greater.

The play is largely told from the perspective of the different family members – the parents, brother and sister of Jeffrey. It examines the feelings and sacrifices that they face as he becomes more difficult to control. The play reaches a crescendo when Jeffrey cuts himself badly while punching his arm through a window in frustration and must be taken to the emergency room by his two siblings.

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Close Your Eyes

Recommended by

  • Donald Loftus: Close Your Eyes by Andrew Levine
    “

    A powerful and emotionally charged family drama, Close Your Eyes offers a deeply human look at love, sacrifice, and impossible choices. Levine crafts authentic, layered characters whose struggles feel immediate and real, particularly as the family confronts the challenges of caring for Jeffrey. Heartbreaking yet compassionate, the play balances tension with tenderness, leaving a lasting emotional impact.

    A powerful and emotionally charged family drama, Close Your Eyes offers a deeply human look at love, sacrifice, and impossible choices. Levine crafts authentic, layered characters whose struggles feel immediate and real, particularly as the family confronts the challenges of caring for Jeffrey. Heartbreaking yet compassionate, the play balances tension with tenderness, leaving a lasting emotional impact.

    ”
  • The Depot for New Play Readings: Close Your Eyes by Andrew Levine
    “

    Andy Levine’s “Close Your Eyes” dramatizes the agonizing decision an average suburban family must make when their middle child, a boy with developmental disabilities, becomes too difficult for them to care for. Set in the late 1960s, when the only option available was institutionalization, Levine portrays the stakes for every member of the family in all its complexity—the fear, anger, and grief they feel. “Close Your Eyes” is a terrific play that is both poignant and tragic. Highly recommended.

    Andy Levine’s “Close Your Eyes” dramatizes the agonizing decision an average suburban family must make when their middle child, a boy with developmental disabilities, becomes too difficult for them to care for. Set in the late 1960s, when the only option available was institutionalization, Levine portrays the stakes for every member of the family in all its complexity—the fear, anger, and grief they feel. “Close Your Eyes” is a terrific play that is both poignant and tragic. Highly recommended.

    ”

Character Information

Females (4): Ages 13, 34, 42, 57
Males (4): Ages 15, 17, 45, 47
  • Jeffrey Moore
    Jeffrey is an an autistic boy who is more difficult to control as he progresses in his teenage years. He is non-verbal having lost the power to speak as a young child after contracting the German measles (although he hums to himself frequently and can grunt, moan and make loud noises when he is agitated). He loves to eat food and frequently uses a basic version of sign language to communicate his needs.
    15
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Danny Moore
    Danny is Jeffrey’s older brother. The two brothers have shared a room together for the past decade. Danny will become a senior in the year ahead and is planning to go to college away from home.
    17
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Emily Moore
    Emily is the youngest of the Moore family. Outgoing girl entering middle school and embarrassed by having an autistic brother. She struggles with the restrictions that come with having a sibling with special needs.
    13
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Patricia Moore
    Patricia is the mother of the Moore clan. She works as a 2nd grade teacher in the local elementary school. She is very protective of Jeffrey.
    42
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Ted Moore
    Ted is the father of the Moore family. He works in a mid-level job in New York City for a regional bank. He is a dedicated father but has some regrets that his career has been stymied by an inability to work long hours and successfully compete for higher level jobs.
    45
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Principal Lyle Sanderson
    Mr. Sanderson is the school principal of the Thomas Coles School for Special Children
    47
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man