The Brightness of Heaven by Laura Pedersen has found a new home at the Cherry Lane Theatre. I was very excited to see this latest production because I had the chance to see the earlier production that took part of the Manhattan Repertory Theater Fall Play Festival in 2012. It’s a great feeling to see the changes that a piece like The Brightness of Heaven has gone through.
This latest production brings back director Ludovica Villar-Hauser, who is not new to working with Laura Pedersen; they previously worked on Living Arrangements, A Dozen Perfect Moments, and the 2012 production of The Brightness of Heaven, all of which accumulate into amazing pieces.Why fix something that is not broken? Both the director and writer know exactly what to do to correctly put on a thought provoking piece on stage.
This play introduces us to the Kilgannons, who are an Irish family living in 1974 Buffalo. The family touches on touchy subjects (at the time) like abortion, homosexuality, and following your dreams. We are shown how much of an impact the church had, and still has, on family and how the decisions each person makes affect the family. While at times the family may not share the same opinions on a lot of the topics that cause turmoil and drama during that time, it all comes down to the fact that they will always be there for each other.
The Brightness of Heaven is a greatly written piece that really makes you think about the way topics were discussed back in the day versus how we talk and preach about them now within our family. Laura Pederson’s latest production is running through December 14th at Cherry Lane Theatre. Cherry Lane Theatre is located at 38 Commerce Street and tickets can be purchased through their website so make sure to check out a performance before it’s too late!
Twisted Talk: Have you seen The Brightness of Heaven yet? Are you familiar with Laura Pedersen’s works? Discuss below!
