Marc J. Straus to Bring APHASIA to Chain Theatre in October

For three performances only, Studio Theatre in Exile will present poet, playwright, physician, and art collector Marc J. Straus, who will bring his deeply personal play in verse, APHASIA, to New York City from October 9 through October 11, 2026 as part of the Factory Series at the Chain Theatre.

Written and performed by Straus, APHASIA is directed by Mara Mills, with stage production by Jeremy Gratt. The play was inspired by Straus' mother, Dora, and the devastating stroke that left her unable to communicate with those around her.

Dora Straus awakens in an emergency room after suffering a massive stroke that has caused paralysis on her right side and aphasia. Although she understands everything happening around her, she cannot make herself understood.

A formidable, brilliant, and fiercely competitive woman, Dora graduated from college as valedictorian at the age of 76. Now soundless and entirely dependent upon others, she is forced to confront her life, her relationships, and her own mortality. Through a series of intimate soliloquies, Dora takes full stock of a life that was complicated, demanding, and richly lived.

At times sad, funny, and angry—but always unflinchingly honest—APHASIA gives voice to a woman who has lost the ability to speak.

Straus himself assumes the role of Dora, channeling his mother's story through a series of poignant and lyrical reflections. In performing the role, he speaks both for her and to her, creating an intimate portrait of a mother as remembered by her eldest son.

Straus has received numerous honors, including the Robert Penn Warren Annual Award Lecture in the Humanities from Yale University and a residency at Yaddo. He is a former Chairman of Oncology and Professor of Medicine.

In 2011, he opened Marc Straus, a contemporary art gallery in New York City. He and his wife, Livia, are noted art collectors and founded Hudson Valley MOCA in Peekskill, New York, in 2001. APHASIA is Straus' second play. His first play, NOT GOD, has been performed in theatres across the United States, including Off-Broadway.