PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Unconstrained by a committed relationship or full-time job and happy with a friends-with-benefits arrangement with a woman he knows little about, Daniel is enjoying his 30s when, in one spasmodic jolt, he has parenthood thrust upon him when he’s given sole responsibility for an infant born three months prematurely.
Over the next 90 minutes in the engrossing “tiny father,” a play receiving its world premiere at Barrington Stage Company before moving on to run at the co-producer, Chautauqua Theater Company in western New York, Daniel evolves from shocked and overwhelmed to someone exhibiting the first glimmers of paternal instinct and, eventually, protective resolve.
“tiny father”
When: 1:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: St. Germain Stage, Barrington Stage Company, 36 Linden St., Pittsfield, Mass.
Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission
Continues: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Saturday, Sunday; through July 22.
Tickets: $60 ($25 youth)
Info: 413-236-8888 and barringtonstageco.org
As written by Mike Lew, “tiny father” is a dual character study in a hospital room over four months. The subjects are Daniel (Andy Lucien), a man utterly unfamiliar with even the basics about babies, and Caroline (Jennifer Ikeda), a veteran nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit, whose job is to nurture the preemies in her ward and, often, their frightened parents.
Lew’s play, developed in part with support from a commission from the Audible platform, is by turns funny, poignant and heartfelt. Everything new and bewildering to Daniel has been experienced many times by Caroline, who tries to balance professional responsibilities to the baby with compassion for Daniel, while also dealing with work politics and her own parenting challenges at home.
Beautifully in sync with one another as actors and wholly believable in their…
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