The story is of Jean and Henry Farrell (played by LISA KEARNS and JIM DIMUNNO) who, after years of unsuccessfully attempting to have a baby of their own, decide to adopt. Emma, the birth mother (played by KAYLA LARRABE), approves of the couple and now a new waiting game begins: awaiting the birth of their child. To help Jean through, her best friend Franny (played by ROBIN WEBER) comes for a visit, but brings her own baggage as she is separating from her husband Sam (played by GEOFFREY CARDWELL).

When time for the birth arrives, it is not the happy occasion everyone expected - the baby, Robin, is born hydrocephalic (an inability to naturally drain/process fluid that builds on or near the brain), and will not live long. It was agreed that Jean and Henry would only accept a healthy infant, but Jean's investment in the waiting game was too intense and she falls for this child. The attention she pays to Robin not only threatens to tear her marriage apart—sending Henry away on a camping trip with the estranged Sam in the wonderful male bonding scene I mentioned earlier—but causes trouble at the hospital as well: Jean has no parental rights, even though Emma has disappeared, and the administrators (despite what the nursing staff have to say) are wary.

I must stop there as not to give away the end which is both heartwarming and disturbing.

Thatcher has laid out a story that at first can be confusing to follow. Future scenes happen before current scenes and you jump back and forth in time. Once you get through the first few scenes though, it all comes naturally and you often forget you're jumping through time.

LISA KEARNS (Jean) carries a large burden on her as she leads us from one scene to the next. Mrs. Kearns's performance is touching, carries a softness that is easy to relate to, and a naturalness you don't often see in local theatre. It is great to see Mrs. Kearns back on the stage after five or so years.

Another impressive individual is one who has never stepped on stage before. GEOFFREY CARDWELL has a male bonding scene out in the woods which is so funny I thought I might split my sides. Let me tell you, with the general seriousness of this play, this scene is well timed, needed and appreciated by the audience. For his first time on stage,

Mr. Cardwell creates a character which is truly believable

Director CHRISTA JONES (who directed Generic's Bad Dates last fall) has put together a cast which works well together and is a mix of seasoned individuals and first timers to the Generic Theatre. Ms. Jones provides us a look into a world that many of us hope we never experience and at the same time shows us the strength of human will and the amount of love a person can give a child under any circumstances.

The performance I attended was the Invitational Dress Rehearsal (aka their first audience the night before opening) and occasionally the pacing was a little slow. Sometimes it was due to the audience's reactions - especially when the cast is hearing laughs for the first time. However, occasionally I felt there were slightly longer pauses that could have been avoided. This is easily self-fixing however as the show continues to run. In some cases, I think the playwright is to blame. Some of Thatcher's scenes are a little long and it causes pacing issues in the play. There are moments that the story in a scene could be told in a shorter period of time. But all things considered, if these are the only issues, the

Generic has a wonderful drama on their hands.

Let's talk technical. The set. There have to be over 15 scenes in this play and if you have ever stepped into the Generic you know that this is not an easy feat to accomplish. But designer HANK SPARKS once again creates a design that doesn't distract from but compliments the play. Three rooms all on stage at once and a wooded area up above. Through lighting, we move seamlessly from one scene to the next.