New play by Sam Post deals with caregiver issues

Sara Coon, Bob Paolino, Lori Van Wallendael act out a scene in "Poochie" a play by Sam Post at the Black Box Theater on North Lee Street. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

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Bob Paolino and Chris Speer act out a scene from "Poochie" a play by Sam Post at the Black Box Theater on North Lee Street. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

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Sara Coon an actress in "Poochie" a play by Sam Post at the Black Box Theater on North Lee Street. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

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Chris Speer an actor in "Poochie" a play by Sam Post at the Black Box Theater on North Lee Street. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

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Bob Paolino and Chris Speer act out a scene from "Poochie" a play by Sam Post at the Black Box Theater on North Lee Street. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

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Sara Coon, Bob Paolino, Lori Van Wallendael act out a scene in "Poochie" a play by Sam Post at the Black Box Theater on North Lee Street. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

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By Katie Scarvey

kscarvey@salisburypost.com

Playright Sam Post, like many Baby Boomers, has had experience dealing with Alzheimer’s. His mother, grandmother and aunt have all had the disease.

His new play, “Poochie,” reflects that knowledge.

“I wanted to write a play that looked at the impact Alzheimer’s has on family,” says Post, who is quick to point out that the characters in the play are fictional and not based on family members. Still, he says he “tried to make it real.”

The drama deals with the progression of the disease, caregiving issues and the disruptions that occur in families as the result of caregiving, Post says. It’s also about memory.

Families often have a hard time talking about the stresses related to Alzheimer’s, Post notes, and sometimes, families are destroyed by the disease.

“My intention here was to create something where families who are dealing with caregiving like this could have a conversation about it,” he says.

He hopes the play will help people “talk about things they haven’t been talking about.”

“Poochie,” by the way, is the name of a dog owned by the woman in the play who suffers from Alzheimer’s.

Justin Dionne, on the heels of directing the very successful “Almost, Maine,” is directing "Poochie" as part of a new local theatre company, Spoken Space Theatre (www.spokenspace.com).

“He’s handling everything,” Post says. “It’s great.”

Dionne is excited to be a part of something new.

“It’s a great script,” he says. Staging a brand new play usually entails some rewriting, and Post has been very open to changes, Dionne says.

The play isn’t really about Alzheimer’s, Dionne notes.

“It’s really about the plight of the caregiver,” he says. He adds that while the play deals with a serious issue, there is nonetheless a lot of humor.

While the play is being performed in the black box theater at the Looking Glass Artist Collective, the set is much more extensive than people might expect.

“I wanted to do something that challenges how people think of this space,” Dionne says. “I think the production quality is going to excite people.”

The cast includes Lori Van Wallendael, Sharon Doherty, Sara Coon, Bob Paolino, Chris Speer, Shawn Van Wallendael and Preston Mitchell.

Lynn Harrell is stage manager, Allen Jones is set designer, Adam York is lighting designer and Shelly Porter Walker is costume designer.

“Poochie” will be performed at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 19-22 at the Looking Glass Artist Collective’s black box theater, 405 N. Lee St. The play lasts about an hour and a half, including intermission.

Tickets are $10.