SARASOTA – The Asolo Repertory Theatre will open its latest production, Katie Forgette’s Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, tonight in the Mertz Theatre, at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.
Directed by CŽline Rosenthal, the wild and tender comedy explores the foolishness of first love, the pains of Catholic guilt, and ultimately, the power of family.
"I’m always drawn to stories with funny, strong women at their center,“ Rosenthal said. "The particular genius of this play is its exploration of the inner workings of parent-child and sibling relationships in all of their glorious, messy hilarity. Katie’s writing is so smart and deeply relatable. There’s lots of great inside humor for Catholics, but everyone with a family of any kind will see themselves reflected on our stage.“
For one week in 1973, the O’Shea family faces a crisis of biblical proportions when a simple conversation about the birds and the bees threatens to turn into a parish-wide scandal. With their good name at stake, the quick-witted women of the O’Shea household must work together to preserve their honor and prove that nothing is stronger than a family bond.
"I couldn't stop laughing when I readIncident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, said Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards. "It’s a really fun, poignant play about the importance of family, and I saw my own upbringing in this story of a particular family that's truly about all of us.“
Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help runs through April 22. Visit the Asolo website for ticket and schedule information.