Arts & Entertainment
Regional Premiere of new comedy by Ridgefield native, Paul Stroili,
My Mother and the Michigan / Ohio War, has been well-received in other parts of the country' opening May 1 in Stamford.
“Last season we presented another show by Paul and our audiences (and I) loved it, so when he sent me this script to read, I jumped on it immediately,” said Curtain Call executive director, Lou Ursone. “When Rich Mancini saw last year’s production by Stroili, I told him about this one. He read the script and agreed that he wanted to direct it,” Ursone added.
The story: Izzy Campbell’s (played by Linda Gilmore) history buff husband Freddy had a dream: a full-scale reenactment of The Michigan-Ohio War. But when a bizarre papier-mâché accident leaves Izzy a widow, she calls on her Wolverine daughter and Buckeye son to see Freddy’s vision realized. Historical becomes hysterical in this comedy about family, football, and the fight for the Toledo strip.
Tensions flare when this forced-to-downsize Michigan matriarch, Izzy, and her grown children, (Carey, played by Christina Dufour and Josh, played by Kevin Thompson) clash over everything from tofu to Toledo to goal posts to Gordon Lightfoot. It’s a laugh-out-loud look at the battles we never outgrow, no matter how old we get.
At the heart of this new comedy is family. In the author’s words, “The job of a parent is to fail. And the job of a kid is to disappoint. If you can love after that, you’ve got a family.” OnStage Colorado said, “My Mother and the Michigan/Ohio War’ mines laughs from grief and rivalry.” The Sun Times News said, “My Mother and the Michigan/Ohio War will keep you laughing. Laughing a lot, and out loud.” (Contains adult language and subject matter.)
The real Michigan/Ohio War was a border dispute over the Toledo Strip (1835–36) which serves as both comic inspiration and thematic backbone for Stroili’s play. Remembered mainly for bureaucratic posturing and a single non-fatal stabbing, the “war” reflects this family’s pattern of petty conflicts and exaggerated loyalties. By referencing this nearly-war, Stroili demonstrates how tiny territorial lines—such as state borders, childhood bedrooms, and old grudges—can ignite battles that feel monumental at home, even when the actual stakes are love, loss, and the need to be understood.
In addition to Mancini, others on the production team include Meghan Connolly (set design), Jamie LaJoie (lighting design), Helen Adams (costume design) and stage managers Sheila Toner.
Performances will continue Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sunday afternoons at 2:00pm through May 17. Doors open one hour before show time. Seating is cabaret style with a BYOEverything format. Tickets are available at 203-461-6358 or online at www.curtaincallinc.com. Prices range from $28 to $46. Group rates and discounted Flex Passes are also available.
The Dressing Room Theatre is located at the Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Avenue, Stamford, CT. MY MOTHER & THE MICHIGAN / OHIO WAR is produced in cooperation with The City of Stamford and is sponsored by SHOPRIGHT CINGARI FAMILY MARKETS with additional support provided by the CT Office of the Arts/ Department of Economic Development.
Curtain Call was voted Fairfield County's BEST LOCAL THEATRE GROUP ten years running in the Annual Readers' Poll of the Fairfield County Weekly and has received similar “BEST OF” awards from Stamford Magazine and StamfordPlus magazine for 2008 through 2023. Curtain Call received The Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2011 and the ACE Award for Excellence in Arts & Culture from the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County in 2016.
