Memory, Reality, and Love – Marjorie Prime at Stage West

“Elegant, thoughtful and quietly unsettling … keeps developing in your head, like a photographic negative, long after you have seen it.”– The New York Times

Meet Marjorie, a vibrant and clever woman in her 80s, who lives with her daughter Tess and son-in-law Jon. But Marjorie is starting to lose track of things. It’s a major concern for Tess and Jon, as she sometimes forgets to eat and take her medications. Is there a way to help her mind hang on to what’s important? It turns out that assistance just might be available from an unexpected source, as Stage West presents Pulitzer Prize finalist Marjorie Prime, a thoughtful, poignant, and surprisingly funny take on the value and limits of technology, which begins a 4-week run on Thursday, January 18.

Because Tess and Jon are worried, they’ve consulted with a specialized company, Senior Serenity, who have recommended a source of help called a Prime. Enter Walter. He’s been told a number of things about Marjorie’s life, but it’s up to her to fill in other gaps—and this will help anchor her mind back to her life. Jon thinks this will be greatly beneficial; Tess is doubtful. Feeling awkward about things at first, Marjorie gradually begins to warm to Walter and enjoy his company. But it unnerves Tess that Marjorie seems to relate more easily to this Prime than to her. So is this technology a blessing…or not?

Cindee Mayfield as Marjorie
photo credit: Evan Michael Wood

The play poses a number of tricky and timely questions. What really constitutes human identity? And what happens when the line between memory and machine begins to blur? In this day and age of the burgeoning use of AI, the story is especially vital. It will keep audiences talking for some time.

Associate Producer Garret Storms says, “Marjorie Prime is absolutely astonishing. For such a small and unsuspecting show, it’s kind of epic in its scope – universally profound and also intimately personal. It’s the story of a woman with memory loss, her daughter and son-in-law who care for her, and the technology that changes everything. It’s wondrous and beautiful – I love this play!”

Jordan Harrison’s plays include Maple and Vine (Playwrights Horizons, American Conservatory Theater, 2011 Humana Festival), Doris To Darlene (Playwrights Horizons), Amazons and Their Men (Clubbed Thumb), Finn In the Underworld (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), Act a Lady (2006 Humana Festival), Futura (Portland Center Stage, Theater @ Boston Court, NAATCO), Kid-Simple (2004 Humana Festival, SPF), The Museum Play, and a children’s musical, The Flea and the Professor (Arden Theatre, Barrymore Award for Best Musical). Jordan is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Hodder Fellowship at Princeton University, a Theater Masters’ Innovative Playwright Award, the Kesselring Prize, the Heideman Award, Jerome and McKnight Fellowships from The Playwrights’ Center, and a NEA/TCG Playwright-in-Residence Grant. A graduate of the Brown MFA program, he is an alumnus of New Dramatists.

Marjorie Prime will be directed by Sasha Maya Ada. Appearing as Marjorie will be Cindee Mayfield, recently seen as Carla in Grand Horizons, with Parker Gray, last at Stage West as Chris and Inspector Carter in The Play That Goes Wrong, as Walter. Joining them as Tess and Jon, respectively, are long-time Stage West audience faves Shannon J. McGrann (Church & State) and Jakie Cabe (Life Sucks).

Cindee Mayfield as Marjorie
photo credit: Evan Michael Wood

Set design is by Associate Technical Director Allen Dean, with lighting design by Technical Director Bryan Stevenson, costume design by Whitney Coulter, sound design and mixing by Claudia Jenkins Martinez, and props and set décor by Lynn Lovett. Stage Manager duties will be handled by Kaitlin Hatton.

Marjorie Prime will preview Thursday, January 18 at 7:30, and Friday, January 19 at 8:00, and will run through Sunday, February 11. The opening night reception will be after the evening performance on Saturday, January 20. Performances will be Thursdays at 7:30, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00, with Sunday matinees at 2:00. Ticket prices for this show are $43 on Thursdays and Fridays, and $47 on Saturdays and Sundays, with $39 tickets for the two preview performances. Food service is available 90 minutes prior to performances (reservations are advised). Reservations and information are available through the Box Office (817-784-9378), or on the website, www.stagewest.org.

This show is rated PG-13 for some language.