This Thursday Distracted opens at Actors’ Theatre! Tickets are on sale and available at www.actorstheatregrandrapids.org or at the Spectrum Theatre box office by calling (616)234-3946.
An article about our next upcoming production was recently in the Grand Rapids Press. Here is an excerpt from www.mlive.com:
Attention deficit presented from a mother’s perspective in ‘Distracted’
Published: Sunday, November 28, 2010, 5:28 AM
Sue Merrell | The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS — How do you get an audience to pay attention to a play about attention deficit disorder?
Paul L. Newby II | The Grand Rapids PressAll about ADHD: "Distracted" is a play exploring the challenges of parenting a child with attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Cast members are back row from left, Ellie Gramer, Jon Clausen and Jennifer Jelsema. Seated are Mike Frankey and Elena Turkel.
That’s one of the challenges Fred Sebulske faces in directing “Distracted,” the latest offering from Actors’ Theatre.
“Part of the play is to immerse the audience in the experience of feeling distracted, so we’ll have lots of media popping up on the screen,” Sebulske said. “But you have to find a balance between getting the audience’s attention and distracting them at the same time.”
Written by Lisa Loomer and presented off-Broadway in 2009, “Distracted” is the story of a family whose 9-year-old son is acting out, refuses to go to bed at night and is disruptive at school.
“Every parent deals with this to some extent, but this is to the point where they think there may be a real problem,” Sebulske said.
The parents are inundated with solutions from teachers, therapists and friends ranging from pills to diet, biofeedback and homeopathic treatments.
“It’s told from the point of view of the mother,” Sebulske said. “She knows the audience is there and uses them as a sounding board. She always has someone to talk to.”
Sebulske said he’s been amazed to learn how prevalent attention deficit hyperactive disorder is. Many of the people he has worked with for years have come forward to tell him that they have been diagnosed with the disorder and are taking Ritalin, a drug often prescribed for the condition. (…)
You can read more about the show and the rest of the article by clicking here to go to www.mlive.com.
To listen to the complete interview, scroll down the Open Minds web page to the segment on Distracted and then click the”Listen” link.
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