Synopsis: Mother and Son spend their evenings playing cards and retelling stories of Hawaiian legend. Better those than their own, which lurk below the surface. When Son’s former sweetheart resurfaces, both he and Mother must choose how they will embrace the future. A mysterious tale about holding on, letting go and the curious force that pulls us back home.
Artistic Statement: Noa Gardner’s The Staircase is a gem. Hewn from his native Hawaii roots, Noa crafts a quietly exquisite play examining (in realistic and magical ways) the dynamics of family and the relationships shared between generations. The play offers a glimpse of the intimacy and rituals of home, the longing for new context and the challenge of caring for generations ahead while tending to a son’s current longings.
The Staircase is a deeply resonant character driven play. So much so, it’s impossible to separate the power of language, the use of metaphor, and the importance of tradition and culturally specific storytelling that propels its inhabitants. Mother and Son, Girlfriend and Son, Father and Son collide leaving questions of what’s ahead, what’s possible and how family will stay connected through it all.