Mother Play at Theatre Three

Uptown Players proudly presents the regional premiere of Mother Play, the deeply personal and hauntingly resonant new work by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel. Spanning from 1962 to today, this semi-autobiographical drama follows Phyllis Herman, a fiercely independent single mother, and her two children as they endure five evictions, emotional upheavals, and the ongoing tension between unconditional love and self-preservation.

With piercing honesty and dark humor, Vogel explores themes of identity, queerness, family dysfunction, and survival through a queer lens. As the children grow and find their own paths—sometimes in spite of their mother’s influence—the play reveals a vivid portrait of resilience, generational conflict, and the shifting landscape of American values.

Hailed as “heartbreaking yet wickedly funny,” Mother Play is a bold and compassionate examination of motherhood and the lasting impact of the stories we inherit—and the ones we choose to rewrite. Don’t miss this gripping regional premiere, presented in partnership with Theatre Three, that continues Uptown Players’ mission to spotlight powerful and inclusive voices onstage.
 

Authors

• Paula Vogel