After several years apart, the Ward family gathers for a holiday celebration. But as many of you know, family holidays come with surprises, and the Ward family has quite a few in American Foursquare.

~Review and Photos by Dana Nöllsch~

American Foursquare, The Story

The Ward family is gathering at the family home for the Christmas holiday. All the children have not been home together for a holiday for quite some time. Maggie Ward is busy preparing the house with little help from her son, Marion “Mary” Ward, who has been recuperating from a recent suicide attempt. Her husband, Hank Ward, is also very little help as he has some challenges of his own that no one has been able to admit to.

Maggie and Hank own a successful family-run pharmacy. They live in the same house where they raised their children. As the various family members start to gather, secrets start to surface.

With the fast-paced energy of a sitcom, American Foursquare is, at the same time, funny and poignant. Even though there are heavy subjects, the play does not feel heavy.

Good Luck Macbeth has the honor of producing the world premiere of American Foursquare, written by Nicholas Hulstine, and we are fortunate to be the first to see this wonderfully written play.

If you are wondering about the name, American Foursquare is a style of architecture in which the house has a square footprint, two floors, and four rooms on each floor. This is the kind of house the playwright grew up in.

There is alcohol use, conversations about suicide, fight scenes, and adult content.

Here are some photos from GLM’s production of American Foursquare

How about the Performances

The performances are sharp, with the actors performing as a cohesive team. This teamwork is something that the audience can feel and see. Paige Tatem does a stunning job directing and bringing this team together to have fun and create something special.

The cast is a true ensemble, giving and supporting each other as they portray these deep and troubled characters. The photos give you a hint of just how powerful these performances are.

The Bottom Line

American Foursquare is a very well-written and extremely well-produced play that is easy to watch but touches on some intense subjects. It has a sitcom feel as you watch it, where the drama is sorted out by the end of the performance. Even with the heavy subject, this is a funny, poignant, and easy-to-watch production that will leave you smiling at the end.

American Foursquare

A world premiere by Nicholas Hulstine

Directed by Paige Tatem

Performance Dates

May 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 @ 7:30 PM
May 11 @ 2:00 PM

For Tickets and more information, go to: goodluckmacbeth.org