An Unvarnished Love Story

How well do we really know the people we love? The answer, inevitably: not nearly as well as we think. Take this family – creative, charismatic. Razor sharp in intellect and in tongue. It’s a routine they’ve been running forever, and with their once empty nest recently refilled, they’ve got every beat in its perfect place. Or so they think. For one son who is Deaf, a new world is opening; one his family has long locked away from him. If he walks into that world, can they hold onto their funny, dysfunctional dynamic? Should they? Family drama of the best variety – hilarious and fearless and messy, featuring a cast that will make you feel right at home. Runs August 2 - September 27.

Featuring: Joshua Castille, Jim DeVita, Maggie Cramer, Casey Hoekstra, Colleen Madden, Lindsay Welliver

American Sign Language will be used during portions of this production.*

This play is served with a hearty side of spicy language. Sensitive viewers please take note.

Synopsis

There is the family we choose, and the one we’re born to. And neither are perfect. When Billy, Ruth and Daniel – Beth and Christopher’s adult children – all move home, the rivalry is intense among this group of “creatives.” But not for Billy, who is the sole deaf member of this hearing family. The family made the decision long ago that Billy should not learn sign language, and instead learn to read lips. But when he meets Sylvia, whose parents are deaf, and who is coping with losing her own hearing, Billy’s world opens up as she teaches him to sign. What his family makes of this new world is another thing entirely, as they try to elevate themselves while holding Billy at status quo in this funny, biting play.

Featuring Joshua Castille as Billy.

Contains adult themes & language. For more information call the Box Office at 608-588-2361.

*In the 2025 Brochure, the Tribes page states that British Sign Language (BSL) will be used. This sign language used in this production has since been changed to American Sign Language (ASL). Also, all performances of Tribes will be in the Touchstone Theatre. We apologize for any confusion.

Season Select: Tribes
By Erin Milleville

The gravitational pull of our families is undeniable. Even when they are no longer with us, we feel their indelible imprint. While we are comforted in the fact that somehow, we belong to others through our genetic connection and shared experience, this comfort does not come for free. What we embrace for safety and a feeling of belonging also comes at a cost. The familial bond for better or worse can promote feelings of ownership, expectations and assumptions that can feel suffocating and unattainable. Even in the most loving families, perhaps especially in the most loving families, a fierce sense of the tribe can churn inside its individual members creating lifelong emotional consequences. And woe to those who arrive from outside the ranks to offer a different point of view, an alternative mode, and an invitation to a different world view. Our families tend to defend the gates from any outsiders offering a glimpse of another way.

How far will we go to defend the tribe? Can an embattled tribe survive individuals’ needs and differences? Is there room in the tribe to not just listen to but to truly hear? These are some of the questions at the heart of this story.

I have had the pleasure of living with Nina Raine's play since I first encountered it several years ago. Like all great pieces of theatre this play seems to continue to reveal its universality, even as the world around it changes. As we approach this production today it is difficult not to reflect on the political tribalism sweeping the country and the epidemic of isolation and loneliness that has accompanied our recent history and modern culture.

It seems that it is more difficult than ever to be seen and heard, to feel safe and belong above the noise or in the silence. Tonight's story explores this dynamic through the most intimate lenses of the family with all their warts, best intentions, selfishness, and passions laid bare. This kind of unvarnished humanity seems right at home here in the Touchstone Theatre with the truth-seeking audience at APT.

I want to thank my long-time creative partner Josh Castille for his openness to continue to explore this work with this team. He has been such a generous and patient ambassador, creating connections and bridging communities. His spirit of curiosity and creative heart has been a true gift on this artistic journey.

-John Langs, Director of Tribes