The Messenger

Bainbridge Performing Arts and our partners at Bainbridge Island Theater Lab (BitLab) bring you The Messenger, a new play in progress by Dinah Manoff and directed by Rachel Noll James.

When Thea, a terminally ill and politically liberal widow is assigned Bunny as her new caretaker, a woman who exudes a surprising warmth along with her extremely conservative opinions, the two are forced to find their way to common ground and a shared humanity. Their clashing views fuel exchanges that are as uncomfortable as they are illuminating.

A deeply moving and unapologetic piece of theatre, The Messenger is as much a political powder keg as it is an intimate portrait of two women trying to make sense of the world from two different ends of the conversational divide. Equally timely and empathetic, the play challenges audiences to consider whether real dialogue and shared understanding can bring us together.

This special event produced in partnership between BitLab and Bainbridge Performing Arts is a reading of a The Messenger, a new play in progress by Dinah Manoff. While not a full production, this staged reading gives audiences an early glimpse into The Messenger‘s evolving story. Following the Sunday performance, audiences are invited to stay or return for a talkback with the playwright, cast, and director to share thoughts and reactions and ask questions about the process of writing and producing The Messenger.

The reading features Elizabeth Mitchell, Catherine Rush, and Ruby Ricisak, with Judd Harris lending his voice to the incendiary Lester Roman.