“A Final Toast,” an engaging, culturally-insightful and profound play from award-winning author Michele A Miller will be produced in May at New York City’s Chain Theatre Main Stage, previewing May 10, and Opening for Mother’s Day weekend on May 11th. The play will run through May 26th with performances on Wednesday through Friday at 7:00 pm and Saturday/Sundays at 3 pm. This deep exploration of mother-daughter relationships follows a Jewish and an Irish family, as circumstances reveal the unexpected interconnectedness of their lives as the mothers approach the need for assisted living. The alternately fragile and persistent qualities of memory are explored as the tale unfolds and daughters confront mothers and mothers confront daughters about the meaning of their lives and choices they made.

THE CAST:

Specifically, the plot follows two women in their eighties who are helped by their adult daughters to clear out their homes before moving to a Senior Living Center. Along the way they must distinguish what is truly of value, separate memories from beliefs, and come to terms with their relationships. Once at the Senior Living the two older women are shut in together due to the pandemic and discover a brief encounter they had years before—one with longstanding consequences for their future lives, their relationships with their families and ultimately each other.

Designers include Peter Fogel (Costumes) and Rychard Curtiss (Set Design and Lighting). Directed by Kathy Curtiss and produced by Renaissance Now Theatre & Film. Tickets will be available at https://renaissancenow.com beginning on March 10th.

A note from Michele A Miller, Playwright of “A Final Toast”:

I wrote this play to address the dearth of complex, multi-dimensional roles for mature and older actresses. A FINAL TOAST focuses on the complex, intertwined lives of four mature women, two seniors and their adult daughters, exposing their relationships with each other in the present and through the lens of the past. Cultural identities are replayed in the histories of the families and secrets that are revealed from mother to daughter. Generational trauma is exposed in the bigotry and hatred that infects and affects both families. This play presents the rich lives of these women laid bare, including long-standing hurts, betrayals, and accusations, handled with humor, wit, and underneath all, a deep, abiding love.

Early drafts of the play were developed by The Dramatists Guild of America, New Perspectives Theatre, Round the Bend Theatre and Bedford Playhouse; it was a finalist in seven national playwrighting competitions. The play has broad appeal for anyone touched by aging in a parent or themselves and especially the largest segment of theatre-goers: mature women.

For further information please reach out to Michele A Miller

micheleannmiller1234@gmail.com or Kathy Curtiss at kathy.b.curtiss@gmail.com .

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