Florida Studio Theatre's Bad Books

SARASOTA — It seems that every decade or so, American society confronts yet another effort by conservatives to ban or even burn books that are deemed harmful to kids. As we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of another round of fanatical literature activism, Sharyn Rothstein's Bad Books is a powerfully relevant piece of social commentary.

A mother visits her local library to confront the librarian over a book recommendation she had given to her 15-year-old son. When the less-than-deferential librarian asserts herself more than the mother is comfortable with, she makes a social media post that throws gasoline onto the flame, escalating the interaction into a small-town scandal that burns both characters.

Fresh off an impressive turn in Advice (review), Amanda Kristin Nichols once again turns in a spellbinding performance as the mother, vividly embodying the anger of the righteous activist who has become all too familiar in the social media age. Jean Tafler is downright magnificent in a three-character performance that includes the librarian, the manager, and the editor, endowing each one with genuinely impressive depth and separation.

Bad Books explores many traits of the modern parent, who is historically older and more educated than previous generations, resulting in the sort of unintentional overparenting that social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has adeptly chronicled.

Is the parent the ultimate arbiter of all things in their young adult's universe, or do we as a society benefit more from the it takes a village approach that was more common when parents were younger, more vulnerable, and seemingly open to outside advice? Do we, in fact, always know our children better than other influences, or are we sometimes too close to pull back and see a larger picture? Rothstein does a stellar job of probing these questions, while Nichols and Tafler more than do her work justice as they bring it vibrantly to life.

Florida Studio Theatre’s Stage III series, held in the intimate Bowne's Lab, seems to get better with each production, adding an enticing array of opportunities to see new, provocative plays locally. Directed by Kate Alexander, Bad Books runs through March 28. Visit the Florida Studio Theatre website for ticket and schedule information.

Dennis "Mitch" Maley is a novelist, as well as an editor and opinion columnist for The Bradenton Times. In addition to his regular Sunday column, he hosts our weekly podcast and does travel features, as well as theater, restaurant, and wine reviews. He is a graduate of Shippensburg University and later served as a Captain in the U.S. Army. Click here for his bio. His books are available here.