MUST SEE: Dot at Park Square Theatre

This late in the season, I generally think it unlikely to find something so fresh and powerful and amazing that it blows my socks off.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

But I can happily testify that that is the case after seeing Dot, a new work at Park Square Theatre, last night. Dot is a delectable mix of sweet and savory, serious and saccharine, and I hope is a model for what is to come from new scripts on stages across America.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

Created with support from the American Brain Foundation and the Alzheimer's Association Minnesota-North Dakota, Dot tells the story of a family as they try to navigate their mother Dot's quickly advancing Alzheimer's disease during the holidays. Shelly, Dot's oldest child, has been doing most of the care for her mother by herself and is extremely stressed out. Shelly has received little help from her sister Averie and brother Donnie, both of whom continue to tell themselves that Dot's condition isn't as bad as it is. Adam, Donnie's husband, is very gentle with Dot and despite having some marital arguments is a logical voice in the family conversation about how to best care for Dot. Fidel is the family's barely legal caretaker hired to care for Dot, with whom he shares a unique connection and experience as "the other." Jackie is the family's long time (and somewhat crazy) neighbor and friend, and her dramatic personal problems allow for a break in the drama unfolding around Dot. The most important character, Dot herself, moves throughout the high drama surrounding her with a slow, uneasy gait that demonstrates how much her condition directly affects her and how difficult it is for her to see her memories (and sanity) steadily slipping away.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

The show wouldn't be possible without a believable demonstration of an Alzheimer's patient, and Cynthia Jones-Taylor is remarkable in this role as Dot. She is able to convey so many emotions - seeming simplicity, heartbreak, laughter, confidence, fear, and more - and she makes Dot such a winning force in the show and so much more complex than what might otherwise seem to be a crazy old woman. Her children are very well cast as well. Yvette Ganier is the show's emotional rock as Shelly and does a beautiful job of showing how difficult being a full-time caretaker can be, especially for those who are simultaneously caring for parents and children. Dame-Jasmine Hughes is hilarious as Averie and demonstrates why it is so important not to underestimate younger family members; while she seems irresponsible on the surface, Averie's heart and empathy provide a soothing advocacy for her mother's needs. Ricardo Beaird is hilarious as Donnie and really the epicenter of all of the show's exterior drama. Between Donnie's marital problems, Jackie's unbelievably inappropriate attachment to him, and the terror over truly understanding how his mother feels, Beaird manages to keep Donnie human and connected throughout the show. Anna Letts Lakin does a good job of demonstrating Jackie's pendulum-wide emotional swings, and while her character felt unnecessary to the fuller narrative, Lakin makes the part into a needed break from the devastating impact of Dot's disease as it unfolds. And Maxwell Collyard brings an unexpected warmth to his part as Fidel, proving that you never can judge a book by its cover.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

The set is cozy and familiar, detailing two rooms - a kitchen and Christmas-clad living room - inside a home that could belong to any family, although this one does to Dot in West Philly. Park Square always does a great job of making intimate settings feel real, and small touches like a working sink and stove in the kitchen, messy dishes left in between scenes and a bevy of household props place us squarely inside of Dot's home and family drama. There's nothing really "special" about the wardrobe and costumes, but that's exactly why I enjoyed them; the familiarity of the set and costume design makes the drama of the show much more piercing and mundane, an important factor in the show's goal of raising awareness of the prevalence and severity of Alzheimer's.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

Full disclosure as to why I enjoyed this show so much and think it's so important to see? I adore this cast first of all - they seem like a real family and have such terrific chemistry. It's a truly mixed, messy family with interracial relationships, homosexual relationships, single parents, grieving grandparents and more, and I think those real-world ties are important to see represented in front of us. The script is modern and fresh and could have come off of a new Gabrielle Union or Kerry Washington movie, and it was a joy to see such a narrative on-stage. The design is good and overall this is seasonal without being too Christmassy.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

But the real reason Dot touched me so is that I can attest to its authenticity. I had a grandmother who died of Alzheimer's disease, and watching Dot's decline reminded me so vividly of her and the difficult struggles my family went through to care for her. Although Alzheimer's affects approximately 5.5 million Americans today you almost never see it directly discussed or represented in mainstream media, especially for people of color. Alzheimer's is a growing problem and one that will affect more and more of us as life expectancies increase, and without talking about it and learning how to care for those who suffer from it (as well as their caregivers), we are going to be at a serious societal loss. It is always difficult to watch a loved one suffer from any medical condition, but to see their mind - their their essence, their memories, their spirit, their kindness - dissolve into the ether is a special kind of suffering that cannot be described. It's a death before the physical death, and the point at which your parent no longer knows who you are is the most heartbreaking thing I can imagine, a scene that is poignantly, heartrendingly displayed in Dot.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

I don't want to scare anyone off by making Dot seem like a serious, difficult show. The subject of Alzheimer's alone is agonizing but Dot is legitimately funny, and for every moment of sadness there are so many moments of laughter and joy, especially from Dot herself. The beauty of Dot lies in how it is able to so thoroughly demonstrate all the subtleties of a very difficult subject but in a way that is authentic and relatable and lighthearted. It's a masterful bit of writing and one that would be at home on the silver screen any day. I think anyone can find something to love about Dot, but I especially think that families struggling to understand their relative's Alzheimer's disease in any capacity - care, empathy, implications, finances, all of it - could really find some support and love by attending this show. I hope it reprises all over the country and raises awareness about Alzheimer's to new heights. Dot runs at Park Square Theatre through January 7; to learn more or buy tickets to this must-see show, click on this link.