Patricia Neal Stage
THE UNExPECTED 3rd…A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive
September 26 - 28, 2024
CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Timothy NearWriter: Kathryn Grody
05 Sep THE UNExPECTED 3rd…A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive
THE UNExPECTED 3rd…A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive, written and performed by Obie winning actress Kathryn Grody and directed by Timothy Near, is a work in progress. Deep into her third and final act of being a person, Grody investigates an eclectic, devastating, and hilarious potpourri of shocking discoveries as she finds herself at 75, becoming… not quite old, but elder. “Old starts at 95!” she declares “I’ve just completed my late youth.” Another boomer that didn’t think the aging process would apply to them, Grody enters elderhood with equal parts empowerment and utter devastation. Marching onward through crumbling democracy, a boiling planet, and an increasingly dead roster of friends and colleagues, she is buoyed by discovering parts of herself she didn’t know were in hiding. Perhaps these parts were waiting for this period to bloom. Mother, artist, wife, grandmother, friend, and accidental influencer Kathryn Grody is astonished with her life, your life, and the stunning, hilarious, heartbreaking impermanence of it all.
Kathryn Grody
Kathryn Grody was born in Los Angeles, a cosmic error which she corrected almost 50 years ago. She found a home at The Public Theatre, and mentors for life in Joe Papp and his wife, Gail Merrifield Papp, performed in 10 various productions, which included her 3 character solo show, A Mom’s Life, which was nominated for a Drama Desk Award..Obies for Marriage of Bette and Boo and Top Girls, also at The Public. Pre pandemic -A Model Apartment at 59th e 59th, 20th Century Blues at The Signature, The Great Moment at Seattle Rep. During pandemic filmed a pilot for Showtime, called Seasoned. Recently shot a short called Wolly Bully, and workshopped THE UNExPECTED 3rd at People’s Light in Malvern, Pa, and in Cleveland Playhouse, and performed in Geoff Sobel’s Home at the Luminata Festival in Toronto. FILM-Harry And Walter Go To New York, My Bodyguard, The Lemmon Sisters, Another Woman, Reds, Men With Guns, Limbo TV- The Sunset Gang (w Uta Hagen) Execution Of Private Slovak (w Martin Sheen). She is on the board of Dances For A Variable Population, Downtown Women For Change, is a Usual Suspect with New York Theatre Workshop, and works with The International Rescue Committee and American Jewish World Service.
Timothy Near
Timothy Near is an award-winning freelance director, three-time artistic director and Obie Award-winning actress. She has directed over 80 plays and musicals at theatres across the U.S. including La Jolla Playhouse, New York Public Theatre, The Guthrie, Berkeley Rep, The Alliance Theatre, Center REP, Z Below, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and the Mark Taper Forum. In her 21 year tenure as artistic director of San Jose Rep, she produced over 120 plays and 20 world premieres. Twice as artistic director, she contributed to the campaign, design and completion of two mid-sized theatres. In addition to an Obie Award for her performance in Still Life at the American Place Theatre in New York, she was a regular guest on “Sesame Street.” Timothy directed the World Premiere of Kathryn Grody’s play, A Mom’s Life at the Public Theatre in N.Y.C. and at The Tiffany Theater in L.A. She is so very happy to be working with her again at Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse. www.timothynear.com