Mama Mama Can’t You See (2023)

“VISUALLY CAPTIVATING … surprisingly tender … a strong cast, who give as much emotionally as they do physically.” – Julia Stier, Stage Raw 

“WOW! DARINGLY RISK-TAKING AND THRILLINGLY THEATRICAL … a production quite unlike any other I’ve seen in my fifteen-plus years of reviewing … a hair-raisingly hallucinogenic trip that adventurous theatergoers won’t want to miss.” – Steven Stanley, Stage Scene LA

“MASTERFULLY WRITTEN BY CECILIA FAIRCHILD AND STAN MAYER … a production that will never be forgotten … What a brilliant cast!!!” – Amalisha HuEck, Discover Hollywood

“Riveting … powerfully athletic … HOW A WAR STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD.” – Dick Price, Sharon Kyle & Linnea Friberg-Price, Hollywood Progressive 

“ROCKIN’, BRAVE, AND SURREAL … I can’t get it out of my mind and heart. And to be honest, I don’t want to.” – Leilani Squire, Los Angeles Female Playwrights Initiative

“Timeless … the talented actors offer A FINELY NUANCED PORTRAYAL OF WAR AND ITS LASTING EFFECTS. And they can even sing up a storm.” – Elaine Mura, Splash Magazine

“EMOTIONAL AND RAW… authentically told… takes the audience on a journey of the dangers of ‘freedom’ and the mental toll it takes on those defending it.” – Emilie St. John, 2 Urban Girls

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Mama Mama Can’t You See
By Stan Mayer and Cecilia Fairchild
Directed by Zach Davidson

Nov 10 – Dec 10
Thurs-Sat at 8pm, Sun 7pm
Studio/Stage
520 N. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90004

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Mama Mama Can’t You See may be based on Stan Mayer’s life as a U.S. Marine, but don’t get it twisted: this is not a play about war. It’s a play about how to tell a war story.

The characters — four Iraq War Marines and four sex workers from the American Civil War — are helping Stan to recount the events of May 7th, 2005, when an explosion and the ensuing firefight killed Aaron, Doc, Mike, and his best friend, Lance. It was half a lifetime ago, but the remembering makes it now, and through the generous act of remembering, the characters — including Mayer, played by the real-life Stan — start to blur the boundaries of time, space, truth, and death itself.

Mama Mama is a highly physical, sensual, funny, angry, and surreal meditation on modern warfare and the cost of telling a true story.

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The performance runs approximately 95 minutes, and will be presented without an intermission.

No late seating. All sales are final.

For the Thursday, November 30th performance, the role of WANDA will be played by Stephanie Lee.

CONTENT WARNING

Mama Mama Can’t You See contains vivid descriptions of war and violence which that may be triggering to some audiences, particularly those with combat experience and/or post-traumatic stress disorder. This production also makes use of explicit/graphic language, simulated sex acts, herbal cigarettes, theatrical haze, strobe lighting effects, and sudden loud sounds.

PAY-WHAT-YOU-CHOOSE OPENING WEEKEND

Ticket price should never be the reason you can’t see a show you’re excited about. That’s why for all Coin & Ghost productions, we offer at least one full weekend of Pay-What-You-Choose tickets.

#ThanksMama

Resources

Veteran-Focused Orgs

Team Rubicon
Team Rubicon serves communities by mobilizing veterans to continue their service, leveraging their skills and experience to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises.

Vets Town Hall
At a Vets Town Hall event, veterans of any era who served in any capacity have the right to stand before their community and speak for up to ten minutes about what it was like to serve their country. These events are community forums aiming to establish greater understanding between local veterans and the friends and neighbors they served.

Project 22
A documentary/resource for veterans, their families, and their community — streaming free on PBS. “After tragedy struck home, two combat-wounded veterans set out to end a little-known epidemic in America–22 each day. Their 6,500-mile cross-country mission was to raise awareness of the high rate of suicide amongst Veterans and show their brothers and sisters-at-arms that there is hope for them. Daniel and Doc will stop at nothing to reach tomorrow’s twenty-two.”

ONLINE CHAT AVAILABLE — https://www.veteranscrisisline.net

Iraqi and Afghan-Focused Orgs

Save the Children
Save the Children is a global organization, working in over 100 countries to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. 

The International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee helps Iraqis affected by conflict, particularly women, youth and children, to access vital services and enjoy their rights in a safe and peaceful environment.