The story of a working-class family in 1960’s Buffalo, NY. The matriarch of the family - Mindy - is suffering from a mental illness which expresses itself in verbal abuse and physically-threatening behavior. The men of the family - father Van and brothers Ron and Mickey - devise a plan to get Mindy treatment, but when it backfires it sends the family - especially youngest brother, Mickey - into a deep psychological battle of determination vs. free will, family obligations vs. a happier life.

​

"...the most deeply felt, high-stakes, well-paced script I had read all year." - Nic Adams on Holy Name

​

Characters

Mindy — 50’s, the mother

Van — early 60’s, the father

Ron — 30’s, son

Mickey — 12, son

Judy — 50’s, Mindy’s sister

​

Development and Productions

This play was developed in part through the 3B Development Series at IRT Theater.

​

Irrational Theatre, in association with The Courtyard Theatre in London — May 2024

Salt and Sage Productions at the Backdoor Theatre in Portland, Oregon — October 2022

Playwriting Residency and Production at IRT Theater in NYC — January 2017

13th Street Repertory Theatre in NYC — 2016 (Reading)​

Moxie Theatre in San Diego, CA — March 2014 (Reading)

​

News

Broadway World: Holy Name powerfully dramatizes the ways such issues can disrupt and even shatter family units

San Diego Playwrights: An Interview with Michael Eichler​​​​​​