Just Off Broadway Presents BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE By Leonard Gershe

This spring, Baltimore based community theatre Just Off Broadway will present as its first production of 2023, the not-often-produced classic, Butterflies are Free by Leonard Gershe, May 5-14, 2023.

Young Don Baker, hero of his mother's Donny Dark books for children, has been blind since birth, his overprotective mother following his every move. Don finally decides to take his own apartment in Manhattan and pursue his songwriting ambitions. When she meets his kooky neighbor, sexy actress Jill, Mrs. Baker's controlling instincts go into overdrive, with hilariously touching results. (Concord Theatricals)

Making it's Broadway debut in October, 1969, at the Booth Theater Butterflies are Free was Directed by Milton Katselas, starring Blythe Danner as Jill, Keir Dullea as Don, Elieen Heckart as Mrs. Baker, and Paul Michael Glaser as Ralph, the original production ran for 1,128 performances. At the 1970 Tony Awards, Danner earned a Tony Award for Featured Actress in a Play while Heckart and Katselas were nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play and Best Direction of a Play, respectively.

Butterflies are Free was adapted into a Columbia Pictures feature film in 1972, reuniting playwright Gershe along with Katselas, Heckart, and Glaser while Goldie Hawn and Edward Albert took on the roles of Jill and Don. This 1972 adaptation earned Heckart an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Just Off Broadway's production is Directed by Jason Crawford and stars Jillian Paige as Jill, Patrick Jay Golden as Don, Suzanne Young as Mrs. Baker, and Joey Hellman as Ralph. This production includes Intimacy Direction by Kelly Carlson, Set Design by Theresa Bonvegna, and Sound and Lighting Design by Jason Crawford and Patrick Jay Golden. Butterflies are Free is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals.