McFadden's one-woman show will benefit Ensemble
Molly McFadden will perform “Living on the Moon,” an original one-woman show, at a one-night benefit for Ensemble Theatre. The performance will take place Saturday, Oct. 27, 6 p.m., at Ensemble Theatre, 2843 Washington Blvd. A $20 donation is suggested; proceeds will help enable the theatre to continue to provide productions, classes and workshops.
In “Living on the Moon,” McFadden explores her own journey and her relationship with her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The show is a unique mixture of storytelling, original music, known standards and puppetry. It examines many facets of human life, helping the audience discover its rich complexities and its rituals and sorrows.
McFadden, a Heights resident for two years, participates in the Stagewrites group at Ensemble. She formerly lived in New York, where she performed at a variety of Manhattan theaters and clubs, and she sang with Margaret Whiting and Rosemary Clooney, both of whom encouraged her as a song stylist.
“I feel that all my performing and writing have culminated in this evening's performance, and I’m excited to share it with others,” said McFadden. She also expressed her belief that “Living on the Moon” provides a different experience and perspective of Alzheimer’s—one that, in her words, ”doesn’t just focus on the negative.” Instead, McFadden explained, “It explores the dependency those with the disease have on their loved ones, as well as the dependency the caregiver has on the individual, and [the feeling of] not wanting to let them go.”
Pianist Jonathan Hooper will join McFadden for the performance. She describes Hooper as “an exquisite musician, with a style reminiscent of that of the legendary Bill Evans.”
Reservations and donations can be made online at www.ensembletheatrecle.org, by phone 216-321-2930, or at the door.
Brian McFadden
Brian McFadden is a playwright and a Eugene O'Neil recipient. Along with his wife, Molly, he also participates in Stagewrites at Ensemble Theatre.