Matthew Lombardo’s semi-autobiographical comedy traces the relationship between Italian matriarch Maria Collavechio (Caroline Aaron) and her gay son (Matt Doyle) spanning the course of five decades. As they continue to test their lifelong bond, the play depicts the outrageously funny and sometimes completely infuriating dynamic between a domineering mother and her rudderless son.
It’s a long, wintry walk to Theater 555 from the nearest heated subway, but it’s worth the warmth playwright Matthew Lombardo’s Conversations With Mother has to offer. Directed by Noah Himmelstein, the play is tactful, personal, and precise while hitting the sweet spots of relatability.
Directed by Noah Himmelstein with deceptive simplicity, it’s all richly dramatic but also loaded with laughter as the two characters spar with each other in that affectionate way mothers and sons tend to do. The individual scenes are titled with motherly expressions such as “Tell Me The Truth and I Won’t Get Mad” and “Why Can’t You Ever Meet a Nice Boy.” At one point, Maria fears that Bobby has “the AIDS” as she puts it. And when Bobby finally gets a job at The Meat Hook, a gay bar, Maria asks if it’s a delicatessen.
| 2025 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway Premiere Off-Broadway |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play | Caroline Aaron |
Videos