“The most compelling work of its kind since Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie” – Variety
April 5, 2017. With that kind of commentary, how can you not go to see “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds,” the Pulitzer award-winning play by Paul Zindel, directed by Amanda Coffin which runs through Sunday, April 30 at Steel River Playhouse.
The story centers on the lives of a single mother and her two teenage daughters, and how they each cope with the hardship, broken dreams, and disappointments that envelop them. Even as it explores the darker human emotions of bitterness, despair and jealousy, the play also focuses on hope and triumph over adversity – how even under the most daunting circumstances, amazing things can happen and beautiful things can grow from damaged beginnings.
Tillie loves knowing the underlying scientific structure of the world. It keeps her sane, free from her turbulent home life and free from her overbearing mother’s constant need for attention. But could science be a way of gaining her mother’s love? Can a project with irradiated marigold seeds at the school science fair show her mother that Tillie is more than just half a test-tube?
Zindel’s tale of crazy relatives, radioactive flora and a passion for science is a dark and dreamy tale of one girl’s struggle to survive the trauma of growing up by escaping into science. ‘The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds,” discovers what beautiful flora might grow from seemingly rotten remnants when you simply apply the spark of imagination.
The cast includes Rebecca Stern (Tillie), Andrea Frassoni (Beatrice), Hannah Paczkowski (Ruth), Betsy Chapman (Nanny), and Leanna Doyle (Janice).
Tickets are $22 for an adult, $19 for Seniors (65+) and $15 for Students. Tickets can be ordered online at www.steelriver.org. Online ticketing allows audience members to select their seat. Groups of ten or more are eligible for a discount.
About Steel River Playhouse
Steel River Playhouse is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable education and performance facility that seeks to strengthen community, inspire creative exploration, educate, and entertain, through the presentation of quality performing arts events and education for diverse audiences. Students and volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to explore and grow their skills by working side-by-side with professional instructors, performers, directors, and designers.
