Short-lived campus production offers a nice break from theatrical Zoom script reads
On March 24, 2021, the Phoenix launched a four night run of
Problem Child, their first full live-streamed, socially-distanced production since drawing the curtains last year
. Directed by Fran Gebhard and written by Canadian Playwright George F. Walker, the play explores themes of isolation, uncertainty, and tension all too familiar in our COVID-19 era.
Problem Child tells the story of RJ and Denise who are trapped waiting in a hotel room indefinitely while trying to regain custody of their biological child. As the support worker’s evaluation of them continues to draw on Denise gets desperate. RJ distracts himself with reality TV and gets angry at small injustices while Denise tries to take action that blows up in her face. She is judged for her choices by the other characters and told she should just wait like RJ.