Up the Ladder, Down the Slide (Work in Progress) by
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, raising kids and 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 dying. 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, raising kids and 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 dying. 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 an all non-majority cast. A work in progress, development opportunities welcome.