Trademark Theater To Premiere Three-Part Film WHAT YOU CAN’T KEEP At The Parkway

Trademark Theater will present the World Premiere screening of What You Can’t Keep, a three-part feature-length film written by award-winning playwright Harrison David Rivers and directed by Artistic Director Tyler Michaels King.

The screening will take place on October 8, 2025, at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis. The film stars Eric Sharp as Lucas and Miriam Schwartz as Lizzie, with appearances by Sally Wingert, Harry Waters Jr., Ryan London Levin, Joel Liestman, Anna Hashizume, Bella West, Leor Benjamin, Karen Weber, and David Mura. Cinematography and editing are by Braddon Alexander.

What You Can’t Keep is a tender, poetic, and humorous exploration of modern love told in three lyrical acts. Following two young artists, Lizzie and Lucas, the story unfolds over five years as their relationship evolves. Through a mix of inner monologues and starkly personal scenes, audiences will see the pair meet, fall in love, navigate the challenges of the “messy middle,” and contemplate a shared future—or a life apart. From their magnetic first encounter to the intimate complexities of long-term commitment, the film captures raw moments of confession, heartbreak, and hope, delicately portraying the poetry of ordinary life and the yearning for connection.

“It’s art house meets meet-cute,” said Michaels King. “It’s a rom-com blended with poetry and intimacy in that special way only Harrison can write. We hear Lizzie and Lucas’ inner thoughts, their desires, their demons, and their deep love for one another, while watching them navigate the joys and struggles of long-term commitment. Harrison has this exceptional power in his writing to both show us ourselves while also illuminating the deeper truths of relating to our loved ones.”

Originally commissioned in 2019 as a stage play, Rivers’ script was transformed into a digital project during the pandemic. With live performance halted, Trademark filmed the first section in 2021 using iPhones, Zoom direction, and improvised backdrops created by actors in their own homes. Editor Braddon Alexander shaped the material into a 25-minute short that premiered online. Two years later, in 2023, with restrictions lifted, the team regrouped in Minneapolis to film part two with professional cameras, sound editing, and lighting. The new format allowed the creative team to fully explore the cinematic potential of Rivers’ monologue-driven text.

Trademark screened the first two parts at the Main Cinema in 2023, but the story remained unfinished. In May 2025, the cast and crew reunited for one final shoot across Minneapolis and St. Paul, filming in homes, churches, a public park, and even an ice cream shop. With guest stars including Wingert and Waters Jr., the production brought together a larger crew and captured the final arc of Lizzie and Lucas’ journey.

“It’s magical to see two actors revisit their characters over five years,” said Michaels King. “Eric and Miriam brought their own growth and depth to the roles, and you can see it on screen. Their characters age and mature, and so do they as artists. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever worked on.”