Stage Write

  The Phoenix Theatre kicked off its season with a world premiere of James Still's latest play. "Everybody's Favorite Mother" tells the story of Jeanne Manford and her son Morty. Manford made headlines and shocked the nation when she publicly declared her support of her gay son. In 1972, she wrote a letter to the New York Post, marched with him, and later founded Parents of Gays (later PFLAG), in an effort to bridge the divide between the gay and heterosexual communities. Her unwavering support and advocacy eventually led President Obama to posthumously award her the Presidential Citizens Medal. The show is brought to life in the smaller black box theatre at the cultural center. It's transformed into a pride alley with seating on two sides and projector screens on the other sides. The tight 90-minute production moves swiftly, jumping in time, splicing in clips from real news stories and speeches, and pulling the audience into the action. There are dream sequences ...