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Production Timeline
Sundance Theatre Lab - Year Unknown
North Adams, MA
"When We Were Young and Unafraid" was first workshopped as a new play at the Sundance Theatre Lab. I was unable to find information about what year the play was actually produced here, but the festival is referenced in many reviews about the play from when it first premiered in the summer of 2014. It is most likely that this play was a part of the 2013 Theatre Lab.
Manhattan Theatre Club - 2014
Manhattan, NY
The world premiere of "When We Were Young and Unafraid" took place Off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club. It was directed by Pam MacKinnon
with a cast of Cherise Boothe, Patch Darragh, Cherry Jones, Zoe Kazan, and Morgan Saylor. Patch Darragh is credited with writing the song in the script. Cherry Jones was particularly acclaimed in this production for her role as Agnes.
Keegan Theatre - 2017
Washington, D.C.
This production was directed by Marie Sproul and starred Sheri S. Herren as Agnes and Jenna Berk as Mary Anne.
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati - 2017
Cincinnati, OH
This production was directed by Drew Fratcher. Christine Dye played Agnes and Kat McCaulla played Mary Anne. One reviewer described this production as, "Overall, a strong drama that tackles the subject of domestic abuse with strength, humor, love, and no guarantee of a happy ending."
Blackfriars Theatre - 2018
Rochester, NY
"When We Were Young and Unafraid" was directed at Blackfriars in Rochester by Kerry Young. The play was well-received, and reviewers praised the cultural relevancy of the script.
Custom Made Theatre - 2018
San Francisco, CA
This production was directed by Tracy Ward, an award winning director who focuses on new theatre works. Custom Made Theatre is a small, blackbox style theatre, which gave the production an extremely intimate feel.
Production Reviews
Manhattan Theatre Club Production Reviews
New York Times
New York Daily News
Entertainment Weekly
The New Yorker
The Hollywood Reporter
Overall, critics of this performance liked the play, but didn't love it. They did, however, love the performance that was given by Cherry Jones as Agnes. Every critic hailed her performance, and most agreed that she was the perfect casting choice for the role. Problems that critics of this performance had included the character of Hannah, and the overall structure of the play. Some critics felt that the play needed another round of workshopping to find a clear structure.
I felt that most of the complaints were valid, however, there was one review that as I was reading it, I immediately knew that it was written by a man. The critic for Entertainment Weekly came off as extremely misogynistic, in my opinion. He felt that the female characters were stereotypes, and complained that the one male character in the show had no substance. The review felt like the opinion of a man who didn't understand that the play wasn't for him.
When I first began looking into reviews for this play, I also found a review from Theatre Mania that has since been removed from their website. I remember when I originally read the review that it came across as very victim blame-y, and I wrote in my notes that, "it almost seemed to imply that Mary Anne’s internal misogyny is the reason she became a victim of domestic violence." I'm unsure of when or why the review was removed.
The critic for The Washington Post begins with, "Sarah Treem does not have what you’d call a great play on her hands with “When We Were Young and Unafraid,”" but then does not at all tell you why he thought it was a bad play, so that's just bad journalism. Yes, he is an old white man. Despite apparently not liking the play, he does praise the set design for how well it presents the secluded and homey setting. He also praises how the character of Hannah provides such a stark contrast to that setting.
The critic for Broadway World calls the play, "nuanced and delicately fashioned." He also praised the set design, as well as the play's careful balance of comedy and drama. This critic felt that the main message of the show is to listen to victim's stories.
This review for Behind the Curtain Cincinnati praised the play as an "enjoyable slice-of-life drama." The critic also felt that the actors had great chemistry together, particularly Christine Dye and Delaney Ragusa as the mother/daughter duo of Agnes and Penny. The critics only complaints about the play were that the actors did not seem fully comfortable with an onstage slap and there was not enough build-up right before the final revelation of the play.
Rochester City Newspaper's theatre critic writes, "For audience members who are willing to be challenged and uncomfortable, "When We Young and Unafraid" offers a beautiful reward." She also praises Blackfriars for the timeliness and relevance of this script choice, and says that it offers the opportunity of an important conversation to audience members. She felt that the actors in this production had wonderful chemistry and great depth to all of their characters.
Theatrius theatre critic Jordan Freed describes this production as, "a tour de force of talented women." She praises the "powerhouse cast," as well as the contrast that the women in the show all provide to one another. In her opinion, the play represents a time when the center line is constantly shifting between radical and moderate feminism.
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