Sponsored by Roz and Charles Stuzin
World Premiere
tiny father
By MIKE LEW
Directed by MORITZ VON STUELPNAGEL
Co-World Premiere with Chautauqua Theater Company
JUNE 27–JULY 22
St. Germain Stage at the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center
36 Linden Street, Pittsfield, MA
Daniel’s friends-with-benefits relationship leads to unexpected results when he finds himself face-to-face with becoming the father of a micro-preemie in the NICU. He knows nothing about babies, and Caroline, the night nurse, is happy to point that out. Over the course of his tiny daughter’s hospital stay, he will need to take more than a few tiny steps to find his way into becoming a father.
Sponsored in part by Audrey and Ralph Friedner & Larry Rosenthal in memory of Bette Sue Rosenthal
Playwright Mike Lew was granted a commission via the Audible Emerging Playwrights Fund, which is an initiative committed to nurturing groundbreaking original plays that emphasize language and voice. Being an Audible-commissioned playwright, Lew was provided with financial resources and creative assistance to cultivate tiny father.
This play was the recipient of the 2022 Williamstown Theatre Festival’s Jay Harris Commission and was a L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award Winner.
Featured Article: The Best Audiobooks for Dads
Let’s show our appreciation for fathers — whether they’re a birth parent, an adoptive parent, a father figure, or a dad-to-be. We all know how important these men are, and if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the dad in your life, an audiobook might just fit the bill. No matter your dad’s favorite genre, you’ll find the perfect listen in our guide, from informative histories to crime thrillers to touching memoirs to great celebrity comedies and beyond. Whether you’re already a proud papa or a father-to-be, our collection of the best audiobooks for dads is sure to entertain and inspire.
“Lew dramatizes that scenario with consummate skill in the splendid tiny father inspired by his own experiences. A…taut, tightly focused two-hander, which features stellar performances by Andy Lucien and Jennifer Ikeda…when Daniel first gets a chance to hold his child, Lucien brings a lovely, poignant stillness to the moment.”
—The Boston Globe
“Appealing, masterly…Ikeda and Lucien work seamlessly together. They give us fully dimensional portrayals of two immensely likable and relatable people. Lucien’s depiction of Daniel…is affecting and poignant. Ikeda’s captivating Caroline is witty…caring, a consummate dedicated professional.”
—Berkshire Eagle
“A captivating hour and a half of theater…Daniel, magnificently played by Andy Lucien…Jennifer Ikeda handles the role of the nurse with the skill and finesse of an actually trained nurse…Mike Lew has written a play filled with great humor and profound sadness and entrusted it to the hands of director von Stuelpnagel and performers Lucien and Ikeda. Together, the three have created a world so real and fraught with emotion that you immediately become captivated by the action before you…It’s a play you won’t want to miss, as once again, Barrington Stage Company hits a home run with the third production of their summer season.”
—Nippertown
“Engrossing…funny, poignant and heartfelt…has the big rewards of something you’d happen across on a streaming service and be the better for having seen it.”
—Albany Times Union
“A dynamic, poignant, and remarkably humorous look at human interaction and motivation, or in other words, how and why folks do what they do.”
—Broadway World
“Captivating…from its very first moments”
—Talkin’ Broadway
“A wonderful show that should be seen.”
—Berkshire Bright Focus
“It’s an enthralling and emotionally wrenching evening of theatre which had the audience gasping on the edge of their seats. We left having experienced the fragile nature of life itself.”
—Berkshire Fine Arts
FREE ARTISTIC EVENTS
Aftershows
FREE Discussion with purchase of a ticket for that night’s performance.
Stick around after the show for a discussion of the play, its themes and its relation to our community; featuring select cast and creative team. Purchase your tickets by clicking the desired date below.
tiny father — July 6 at 7:30pm | July 13 at 7:30pm
Deeper Looks
FREE DISCUSSION — “Writing What You Know”
Join us for a moderated discussion with tiny father playwright Mike Lew and director Moritz von Stuelpnagel exploring the challenges and opportunities of adapting your own life for the stage. Hear more about Lew’s personal fatherhood journey that inspired the piece and the process of putting one’s own lived experience in front of an audience.
tiny father — June 30 at 11am, St. Germain Stage
Beyond the Play: A Reading List Inspired by tiny father
Recommended by and on display at
The Chatham Bookstore
27 Main Street Chatham, NY | 518.392.3005 | chathambookstore.indielite.org
From our friends at the bookstore: “tiny father by Mike Lew is a deeply moving play about a new parent and an experienced nurse bonding in the NICU. We came up with a list of books that speak to the play’s themes — including single parenthood, the U.S. maternal health crisis, and living through grief — as well as the general ambiance of the work. Books of care, compassion, and loss; novels that explore the fleeting connections and hard-won victories of the hospital room, and picture books that take you all around the world.”
No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
This transformative, critically acclaimed 2021 novel features a parallel plot line to tiny father, as the protagonist finds herself rushing to the hospital when her newborn niece is diagnosed with a rare condition.
Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers
New dad Daniel complains about the depressing picture books on offer at the NICU. Here We Are might be the antidote — a stunning and inspiring picture book that instantly transports its readers.
Parent Like a Pediatrician by Rebecca Diamond
Billed as a “no-nonsense” guide to making the right choices for your infant, we think that Daniel should have picked up this book instead of turning to Google.
A Little Book of Self-Care for Those Who Grieve by Paula Becker
A customer first led us to this gorgeous, tender guide to surviving the early days of grief. We would recommend it to Daniel in his initial moments of shock and disbelief.
The Memory Box: A Book About Grief by Joanna Rowland
Written from the perspective of a young child, this book aims to facilitate the grieving process for kids, making it a valuable resource for anyone who has lost a loved one early in life.
Talk with Her: A Dad’s Essential Guide to Raising Healthy, Confident, and Capable Daughters by Kimberly Wolf
A comprehensive guide for every struggling girl dad.
Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty by Dorothy Roberts
A great starting point for anyone who wants to educate themselves on the issues of reproductive justice raised by this play, specifically the racial disparities in maternal health.
The Pain Gap: How Sexism and Racism in Healthcare Kill Women by Anushay Hossain
An arresting, deeply researched examination of the women’s health crisis in America.
Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson
This iconic story collection features some of the best hospital writing we’ve ever read — blurring violence, absurdity, humor, and strange beauty.
Autumn by Karl One Knausgaard
From the revered writer of the My Struggle series, this autobiographical book is a beautifully detailed offering from the writer to his daughter, attempting to show her his world.
CAST
JENNIFER IKEDA (Caroline) BSC Debut. Theater: Top Girls (Broadway), MTC, Clubbed Thumb, NYTW, P73, Soho Rep, The Public, TFANA, Delacorte, Ma-Yi, NAATCO, Red Bull, ACT, CTG, La Jolla, Berkeley Rep, ART, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Chautauqua. Jenny is especially proud of her work with the artists Caryl Churchill, JoAnne Akalaitis, Lloyd Suh, Susan Soon He Stanton and the Lake Lucille community. Film and television: Advantageous (Sundance 2015), Killing Hasselhoff, Dash and Lily, Blue Bloods, Maniac, New Amsterdam. Dozens of audiobooks (2x Audie winner) including the best-selling All Souls Trilogy. Multiple appearances on NPR’s Selected Shorts. Proud Union member.
ANDY LUCIEN (Daniel) BSC: Clybourne Park. New York Theater: Lincoln Center Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Vineyard Theater, The Lark, Ensemble Studio Theater, Rattlestick Theater. Regional Theater: Actors Theater of Louisville, Berkley Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Studio Theater. Film and television: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (as John Coltrane), The Blacklist, Marvel’s Daredevil, Elementary, Madam Secretary, Seven Lovers, Vox Lux and the upcoming film Pretty Doesn’t Hurt, which he also co-produced. The film has appeared in several film festivals and Andy was nominated for best actor at the Idyllwild Film Festival.
CREATIVE TEAM
MIKE LEW (Playwright) BSC Debut. tiny father (upcoming at Chautauqua and Geffen) has been developed for Audible and at Cape Cod and Ojai. Plays include Teenage Dick (Donmar Warehouse, Ma-Yi, Wooly Mammoth, Huntington, Pasadena Playhouse; O’Neill & Public workshops); Tiger Style! (SCR, Olney, Huntington, La Jolla Playhouse, Alliance; O’Neill ws); Bike America (Ma-Yi, Alliance); microcrisis (Ma-Yi, InterAct). Alongside composer Sam Willmott, he and Rehana Lew Mirza co-wrote the book to Bhangra Nation (La Jolla Playhouse; Birmingham Rep; Project Springboard and Rhinebeck workshops). Awards/Fellowships: Guggenheim, Dramatists Guild Council, New Dramatists, Mellon/Howlround, Lark Venturous, NYFA, PEN, Richard Rodgers, Lanford Wilson, Helen Merrill, Weissberger, Heideman and Kendeda. Education: Juilliard, Yale.
Moritz von Stuelpnagel (Director) BSC Debut. Broadway: Bernhardt/Hamlet starring Janet McTeer, Present Laughter starring Kevin Kline (Tony nomination for Best Revival), Hand to God (Tony nominations for Best Play and Best Director). West End: Madhouse starring David Harbour and Bill Pullman, Hand to God. Off Broadway: MCC, Playwrights Horizons, Public Theater, MTC, LCT3, Ma-Yi, Lesser America, EST and Ars Nova. Regional: Williamstown, Huntington, Geffen, Pasadena Playhouse, Alliance, Woolly Mammoth, South Coast Rep, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and more. Moritz is the former artistic director of Studio 42, NYC’s producer of “unproducible” plays. Upcoming: I Need That starring Danny Devito (Broadway). Moritzvs.com
WILSON CHIN (Scenic Designer) BSC: Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, The Violet Hour. Broadway: Cost of Living, Pass Over (Drama Desk and Lortel Award nominations), Next Fall. Off Broadway: A Bright New Boise (Signature), The Thanksgiving Play (Playwrights Horizons), Space Dogs (MCC, Lortel Award nomination), Teenage Dick (Ma-Yi/Public), This Land Was Made (Vineyard). Opera: Turandot (Washington National Opera), Lucia di Lammermoor (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Eine Florentinische Tragödie/Gianni Schicchi (Canadian Opera, Dora Award winner). Film and television: Pass Over (dir. Spike Lee), Game Theory with Bomani Jones (HBO), Blindspot (NBC). Eastern Region Board member of Local USA 829.
Instagram: @wilsonchindesign
TILLY GRIMES (Costume Designer) BSC Debut. Tilly is an Irish/Greek designer based in New York. Broadway: Shucked! dir. Jack O’Brien, I Need That dir. Moritz von Stuelpnagel. West End: Theresa Rebeck’s MadHouse dir. Moritz von Stuelpnagel; Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical dir. Lucy Moss. NYC: Roundabout, BAM, MTC, MCC, Playwrights Horizons, Atlantic, Ars Nova, Red Bull, Cherry Lane, Pearl, Clubbed Thumb, New Georges and La Mama Theater. Regional: ART, Berkeley Rep, Alley, Goodspeed, OSF, Wilma, Washington Shakes, Two River, Trinity Rep, Williamstown Theater Festival, Hudson Valley Shakespeare, Woolly Mammoth and Westport Playhouse. Awards/Nominations: The Balsamo Grant for Emerging Immigrant Artists, The Irish Arts Design Award, Irish Times Theater Award Nomination, The Onstage Critics Award, multiple Lucille Lortels and Drama Desk nominations. tillygrimes.com, @missTgrimes
ALAN C. EDWARDS (Lighting Designer) BSC Debut. Off Broadway: World premieres of Harry Clarke (Vineyard, Lortel Award), Kill Move Paradise (NBT, Drama Desk nom.) and The Hot Wing King (Signature NYC). Regional: Sally & Tom (world prem. by Suzan-Lori Parks at The Guthrie); Paradise Blue, Lights Out: Nat King Cole (Geffen Playhouse). Additional credits include Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (Signature NYC & A.R.T); Fires in the Mirror (Signature NYC, Lortel nom.); Chasing Magic and Where We Dwell (by tap dancer Ayodele Casel); Twelfth Night (Classical Theatre of Harlem); and the world premiere of Lifted for American Ballet Theatre. Broadway: Associate to Jennifer Tipton on The Testament of Mary. He is a graduate of Yale School of Drama, where he is also an Assistant Professor of Lighting. alancedwards.com
DANIELA HART she/they (Sound Design & Original Music) BSC Debut. Theater: Black Odyssey (Classic Stage); Espejos (Hartford Stage, Syracuse Stage), Complicity Island (Audible); Blues Clues Live (Round Room); Ripple (Berkeley Rep/Goodman); Happy Life (Soho Rep); Queen (Long Wharf Theater/A.R.T.NY); Choir Boy (Yale Rep); Fires in the Mirror (Baltimore Center Stage, Long Wharf Theater); Night Watch (Dorset Theater); The Juniors (Colgate University); How to Save the World in 90 Minutes (Cherry Lane); References to Salvador Dali… (ART, Harvard); Julius Caesar (Vermont Shakespeare); Neighborhood 3 (Rattlestick Theater). MFA Yale School of Drama. UptownWorksNYC.com
ANDREW PETRICK he/him (Production Stage Manager) BSC Debut. Select theater: the ripple, the wave that carried me home, directed by Tamilla Woodard, and The Brightest Thing in the World, directed by Margot Bordelon (Yale Repertory Theatre); The Blacker the Berry, directed by Stew, and Harmless, directed by Dan Hurlin (Sarah Lawrence College); Pride and Prejudice, directed by Christopher Edwards (Dorset Theatre Festival); Jack and the Beanstalk, directed by Julie Atlas Muz (Abrons Art Center); and When We Were Young and Unafraid, directed by Spencer Knoll (Downstage Theatre Company). MFA Yale University; BA Sarah Lawrence College.
MCCORKLE CASTING: PAT MCCORKLE, CSA; REBECCA WEISS, CSA (Casting) Casting actors for Barrington Stage for 21 years. Pat McCorkle is pleased to be an Associate Artist at BSC. Broadway: Over 50 productions including On the Town, Amazing Grace, End of the Rainbow, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Amadeus, She Loves Me, A Few Good Men. Off Broadway highlights: Clever Little Lies; Sheer Madness; Tribes; Our Town (Barrow Street); Freud’s Last Session; Toxic Avenger; Almost, Maine; Driving Miss Daisy. Feature film: Premium Rush, Ghost Town, The Thomas Crown Affair, Die Hard with a Vengeance, School Ties, etc. Television: Twisted, St. George, Sesame Street, Hack, Californication, Max Bickford, Chappelle’s Show, Strangers with Candy, Barbershop, etc. mccorklecasting.com
CHARLIE SIEDENBURG (Berkshires Press Representative), Associate Artist (19th Season), joined the BSC family in 2005 and has represented over 150 BSC productions. His work has led to features in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Associated Press and American Theatre Magazine. His many PR credits include the Metropolitan Opera (Live in HD), Paper Mill Playhouse, George Street Playhouse, Hartford Stage, Goodspeed Musicals, Long Wharf Theatre, Surflight Theatre and Two River Theater Company. He serves as Press Rep for Wagner College Theatre, The Minty Awards, Ghostlight Productions and Forestburgh Playhouse. Charlie is a 1995 Theatre/Arts Administration graduate of Wagner College on Staten Island, where he currently teaches Theatre Appreciation. In 2021, he received a Berkshire Theatre Critics Association Special Award for Exceptional Support of Arts Journalism in the Berkshires.
THE PRESS ROOM (National Press Representatives) Broadway: Hamilton, The Book of Mormon, Prima Facie. Off Broadway: Blue Man Group, Death Drop, The Fears. Upcoming: Female Troubles, Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical, A Wonderful World. Recent credits: Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, Paradise Square, The Waverly Gallery, Three Tall Women, Farinelli and the King. Clients include: The Acting Company, Drama Book Shop, Hershey Felder, Hunter Theater Project, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, New York Classical Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Rosie’s Theater Kids, Shakespeare’s Globe, Theatre Row, Vineyard Theatre, The Wooster Group.
BSC does not preemptively offer content advisories, however for those who wish to be informed about potentially sensitive content, click below to learn more.
This play is recommended for ages 12 and up. However, every child has different sensitivities and parents should use their best judgment.
If you have further questions, contact the Box Office at 413-236-8888.