Vermont director Joanne Greenberg returns to Phantom Theater with “Cry It Out,” a bittersweet comedy about motherhood, class, and female friendship for a three-night run starting Thursday, August 22.
Greenberg has a gift for selecting material that speaks to the human condition with acerbic humor as well as a keen eye for casting accomplished actors. Previous well-received productions at Phantom include “The Whale” in 2017, “Collected Stories” in 2019, and last year’s war drama “Time Stands Still.”
“Cry It Out” continues in this string of contemporary plays that hit home and hit hard. Penned by Molly Metzler – best known for her work on television sensations like “Orange is the New Black” and "Maid” – the play is witty while plumbing stark truths about the plight of working women and child rearing.
Maren Langdon Spillane, a frequent collaborator with Greenberg, plays Jessie, a successful corporate lawyer sidelined by a new baby. She meets Lina, a low status hospital worker played by Kianna Bromley, at a Stop and Shop. Despite the social disparity, the two form a close bond over their shared love and concerns for their infants. Over daily coffee in their adjoining yards, they monitor their napping babies and stave off the loneliness both feel in their new roles as caretakers.
When a wealthy couple, played by Sarah Debouter and Jesse Cooper, move into the neighborhood, the dynamics of the friendship begin to fracture. As suppressed fears and resentments surface, Metzler’s sharply comic and poignant dialog tracks how life choices are often shaped not by our desires but by family and class.
“She is so skilled at drawing believable, relatable, yet quirky characters. Audiences will come to care for all four of them, especially in the hands of this talented cast,” said Greenberg. “They’ve been exploring these characters over most of this summer, mining their depths but also enjoying their eccentricities and foibles. Audiences will as well.”
Phantom Theater presents Molly Metzler’s “Cry It Out,” Thursday, Friday and Saturday, August 22-ss24 at 8 p.m. Tickets available at the door and online. For more information visit www.phantomtheater.org
