MR. PARKER
A NEW PLAY BY MICHAEL McKEEVER, WRITER OF “DANIEL’S HUSBAND”
At 54 years old, Terry Parker finds himself at a crossroads in his life. After the loss of his partner of 30 years, he finds himself suddenly single and unable to adjust to a world that has moved on without him. After a night of heavy drinking, he wakes up with a 28-year-old bartender-slash-Uber-driver. These two very different people begin a tentative relationship, and what starts out as a one-night stand becomes a journey of self-discovery for a man trying to let go of the past and move forward, while dealing with the pressures of being middle-aged, gay and alone in the ever-changing landscape of today’s America.
Content advisory: Contains nudity
Running time: 90 minutes
There will be no intermission.
Directed by Randy Brenner
There will be a special ASL performance on Sunday evening, April 14.
DTL Nominations
Outstanding Production of a Drama – Professional
The Michael Cruickshank Award for Outstanding Director of a Drama – Professional, Randy Brenner
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama – Professional, David Pevsner
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama – Professional, Marsha Mercant
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama – Professional, Nick Giedris
Outstanding Sound Design – Professional, Clark Dugger
Outstanding Lighting Design – Professional. Mariah Pryor
The Ron Hamm Award for Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design – Professional, Anastasia Braham
Outstanding Props, Edward Anguiano
Dezart Performs’ Mr. Parker is poignant, funny, warm and exceptionally well-acted. The performance I saw received a well-deserved standing ovation. The play is almost sold out—so get tickets if you can, and go see it.
All three actors deliver amazingly strong, funny and touching performances. With Michael McKeever’s wonderful script to work with and Randy Brenner’s spot-on direction, everyone creates a fully-realized 3 dimensional character with genuine emotions that help hide or minimize their pains and frustrations and every word or action rings true.
[Randy] Brenner’s astute direction ensures that performances remain firmly grounded in conversational reality, which is crucial in the Pearl McManus Theater. All three characters reflect parts of all of us and all three actors give nuanced, deep performances.
Ticket holders will not be disappointed by this very good production by Dezart Performs, their final of the 23/24 season. It's a really solid piece of work by the entire cast and crew.
[Michael] McKeever has created wonderfully unique and specific characters that any actor should relish playing. It’s clear the trio of talents in this production do just that.
Apr 12 2024 - Apr 21 2024
Show TimesFridays and Saturdays: 7:30 PM
Saturdays and Sundays: 2:00 PM
Sundays: 7:00 PM NEW! Added performance
Pearl McManus Theater
at the Palm Springs Woman’s Club
314 S Cahuilla Road
Downtown Palm Springs, CA 92262
The Cast
Nick Giedris (Justin)
Nick originated the role of Oscar Wilde in the American premiere of OSCAR & WALT and starred Off-Broadway as Christian Grey in a 50 SHADES OF GREY musical parody, which he also toured with nationally. He played a rock-star version of Benjamin Franklin in a national tour directed by Michele Lynch, and after moving from NY to LA in 2022, knocked an item off his acting bucket list by playing Franklin Shepard in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. On screen he’s played a bumbling boyfriend, grieving father, jealous archangel, closeted politician, and an eccentric villain fashion designer, all classic archetypes he’d happily revisit!
Marsha Mercant (Cassie)
Marsha Mercant is a multi-award-winning actor/singer/voice over artist who has performed internationally on stage as well as in film and television. Her many stage credits include the Second National companies of CATS, LES MISERABLES and LADY IN THE DARK in which she starred in both San Francisco and Beijing, China. A published author (THE GIFT OF CANCER, Skyhorse Publishing) and produced playwright (EXIT PLAN, NYC) currently in development as an opera. Marsha has also been heard on radio and television, touting Challenge Butter, Amazon, International Delight, Harrah’s, Diamond Walnuts, Prevnar20, ABC, NBC, Visa, Clorox and countless others. She is currently the voice guiding customers through the voicemail maze for Spectrum, Aetna Health, HSBC Bank, Morgan Stanley, Hertz, Thrifty, Dollar and is the official voice of NYC’s information line, 311.
David Pevsner (Terry)
An LA-based actor/writer/personal organizer (with a little modeling on the side), David’s diverse stage career ranges from regional theatre to Broadway and has appeared in many network TV shows (usually playing a doctor). Upcoming film credits include UNSPOKEN, THIRTEEN and UNWINDING. His original songs have been heard in the global hit show NAKED BOYS SINGING!, his CD MOST VERSATILE and two one man musicals, TO BITTER AND BACK and MUSICAL COMEDY WHORE! (available on DVD/streaming). His first book DAMN SHAME: A MEMOIR OF DESIRE, DEFIANCE, AND SHOW TUNES was recently published by Random House Canada.
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