Skip to main content

Come Together

A Nice Family Gathering                                                                   

Sponsored by Racine Theatre Guild and 
Written by Managing & Artistic Director
Doug Instenes





My stock answer to anyone asking me to state my favorite kind of play is: "The one I'm working on now." And that is true.  But if you really pushed me, I'd say that my favorite plays are those that tell a story that can make you laugh one minute and put a tear in your eye the next.





Welcome to A Nice Family Gathering, READ MORE... a play that, first of all, is just plain funny. Yet the story of this kooky and somewhat dysfunctional family will also get you a bit choked up.

We all bring our own family experiences to a story, and Phil Olsen’s comedy hits close to home for me. I am a husband and a father of two, so I identify with how a father communicates with his family. I also recently saw my own father turn 94, and I don’t know how much time I have left with him. So I also identify with the son. What do we need to say to each other before it’s too late? What can be left unsaid?


A good play allows people to debate its message, because it truly is different for everyone. Your life experience will color how you experience this play.Are you a father or a son? Have you lost a spouse or a parent? Have you dealt with sibling rivalry? Do you have crazy but lovable relatives? Do you just enjoy laughing at the crazy doings of other families? I think this comedy has something for everyone.



Above all, A Nice Family Gathering is fun. I hope you will enjoy this show and the rest of our 75th season. Join us for the holidays and all year long.



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AWESOME Dad

Well, most are! I know your kid's daddy might not be tops in your book, yet, in the eyes of your child, he probably is. I am so grateful that when my husband and I mutually took the risk to vow to spend our lives together, then had/have children, (while not always perfect) he ended up being quite the awesome dad. Assist your child in sharing his/her celebration of dad. (Um, I am sure you know, Father's Day is next Sunday, June 17th).  Here's a great way to do that, pocket $100 gift card for your kiddo, and knock out that Father's Day gift!  Here's how... Read More... For the third year in a row, Just Add Kids has partnered with Educators Credit Union  to bring you, your kids and their daddy a fun contest in celebration of Father’s Day.  This year, RelyLocal Racine is also partnering with JAK and providing a plethora of gift cards perfect for dad. So, how to participate? Kids color a portrait of their dad, grandaddy, or other fatherly figure (portrait frame and e...
Post a Comment
Read more

June is the New Spring

April Wrap Up: Wrapped in Love                           In recognition of April being Autism Awareness month, Just Add Kids welcomes Colleen Nagle, a Burlington mom, as JAK's guest blogger. Autism is easy to misunderstand, misinterpret and mislead.  My son is the master of disguise and the best way to understand our kids is to assume nothing.  That is, assume only that they are kids, children, teens, silly, loving, intelligent and, well, simply put, no different than any other kid. Everything I have been told about Autism is wrong. Everything I know about Autism I have learned from my son.  My son with Autism.  He loves me just like his typical siblings love me, he cries when he misses me and he smiles when we are together again. Read more... He cannot speak.  He has never been able to express his favorite color or cartoon or game.  My heart longs to know him, to know the little everyday things: to know that he has favorites; to know that he likes the food I serve him; to know if ...
11 comments
Read more

Return Policy?

Take Your "SexyBack" I am admittedly square. In one of my past commentaries, " Let's Kick Some...Buttocks " I discussed the word a** and it's nonchalant usage by the masses. Well, not me, of course.  I don't carelessly drop the "a" bomb, and according to the poll we took on Just Add Kids back then, most of the participants, 84%, considered it cursing. So I guess, at least at the time I was in the majority, and laid out the rule in my home, that we don't use the word a**, or sh%#, or f@?%.  I think you get the picture. So where does the word "sexy" fall?  Great question. Read More... "Mom, Max is calling me sexy!" rats my 9 year old daughter, on her 8 year old brother. "Hello? Come again?" That's right, my son is casually describing his sister as "sexy".  Yup, that does sound a bit weird, disgusting, whatever.  I really don't think he knows exactly what he's saying, or what it means, thou...
6 comments
Read more