Elaine Spino, Mike Casey, Alan Miller and Kelly Clavin-Keim star in Raven Feather's “The Realistic Joneses.”
The Realistic Joneses, a comedy by Will Eno, opens Raven’s Feather Productions’ 2023 season. The acclaimed play will be presented at the Helena Avenue Theatre at 7:30 p.m. May 4-7 and May 11-13 with a 2 p.m. matinee on May 14.
Mary Linn Crouse directs the play, which stars seasoned Helena actors Elaine Spino, Mike Casey, Alan Miller and Kelly Clavin-Keim.
This comedy introduces the audience to two suburban couples who share not only the same last name, but a connection that they struggle to articulate. The play explores themes such as loneliness and the fragility of life with a mix of humor and sincerity.
According to producer Ross Peter Nelson, Eno’s eye for the absurd “will make you laugh even as the characters deal with such issues as mortality, memory and the challenges of connecting.”
It is, as the New York Times noted, “humane, literate and slyly hilarious.”
“The Realistic Joneses” was nominated for three Drama League Awards and listed by the Times as one of the best plays of the year in 2014. Its author, playwright Will Eno, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2005 for his earlier work, “Thom Paine (based on nothing).” He’s been described as “the Samuel Beckett of the Jon Stewart generation.”
“We are thrilled that some of Helena’s most talented theatre professionals have taken on the challenge of bringing this piece to life,” said Nelson.
Raven’s Feather – Helena’s newest theatre company – “is excited to bring ‘The Realistic Joneses’ to the Helena stage,” he added. The nonprofit company was founded by Nelson, Kelly Clavin-Keim and Barry Stambaugh with the goal of providing exciting contemporary drama by working with the local artistic community.
Admission is $15 for students and $20 general admission. Advance tickets for “The Realistic Joneses” may be purchased online at the Raven’s Feather website.
The theatre is located at 1319 Helena Ave.