A Tale of Two Surprise Endings: ‘Night Mother and its producer, Counter-Productions Theatre Company

For anyone familiar with the technological side of our modern world, receiving an “end of life” announcement for a piece of hardware or software is a very common reminder that all good things must come to an end. While the phrase may seem morose, within this lifecycle, there is often a new, improved replacement readily available for consumers to transition seamlessly. Sometimes, a favorite company contacts you with one of these announcements about their own existence and suddenly you see that some things can never be adequately replaced.

Such was the case when, on November 2, 2018, an “end of life” announcement suddenly appeared on Counter-Productions Theatre Company’s Facebook page from Ted Clement,  the group’s artistic director, and his wife, Christine Fox, the group’s executive director.

“Dearest friends and colleagues,” the post begins. “After considerable thought and discussion we have come to a difficult decision. . .This, our twelfth season, will be our last.”

Clement goes on to explain that “Recent growth and development in our academic careers, along with our desire to have more time for each other, has brought us to this conclusion.”

And highly successful they are, both successful educators at Community College of RI (CCRI). Clement, an associate professor, currently serves as the school’s theatre program coordinator and Fox is a professor of English, the college’s ESL program coordinator and the chair of the English department.

Clement and Fox initially co-founded Counter-Productions Theatre Company (CPTC) in 2007 at The Arsenal Center in Watertown, Mass, and spent four seasons as a resident group at The Factory Theatre on Tremont Street in Boston.  CPTC started staging plays in Rhode Island in 2012, first in Woonsocket’s  Stadium Theatre,  then Artists’ Exchange in Cranston and finally, in 2013, they were named the resident theater company at AS220’s Black Box, on 95 Empire Street, Providence.

Over the past 12 years, the group presented a wide variety of theatrical productions — from Shakespeare to musicals to new plays – garnering both critical acclaim and local award recognition, and often boasting sold-out houses.

In concluding his announcement about the final season of CPTC, Clement declared, “The past 12 years have been a rewarding experience for us…we’d like to extend our sincerest thanks to each and every artist that we’ve worked with over the years along with every audience member that we’ve had the pleasure to serve.”

The post then goes on to invite audiences to join them for one final season of plays, starting with ‘Night, Mother by Marsha Norman, opening November 16 at AS220’s Black Box Theatre, followed by Annie Baker’s The Aliens running March 15 – 24 and finally Gidion’s Knot by Johnna Adams from May 17 -26, 2019. And that will be it. Final curtain. End of a 12-year run.

Somewhere between irony (or impeccable timing) lies the fact that Clement and company have decided to open their final season with ‘Night, Mother — a play concerning one woman’s announcement that she has decided to end her own life.

Directed by Valerie Remillard, the Pulitzer-prize winning two-hander by Marsha Norman stars Audrey Lavin Crawley as daughter Jesse and Becky Minard as her mother, Thelma. The 90-minute play takes place in real time as Jesse prepares both herself and her mother for the aftermath of her decision.

While the drama has seen movie adaptations, Broadway revivals and even a national tour, one can rest assured that the artists at Counter-Productions Theatre Company will bring fresh eyes to the material. Director Valerie Remillard admits, “It is a challenging piece of theater. Directing this play has been a painful reminder to me that love and caring are actions, not just solitary sentiments,” adds Remillard, “and those we love can’t feel the caring we don’t show.”

Remillard says, “We live in a very different time now than when this play was written and we have more ways than ever to reach out to people and remind them of our caring, but suicide and depression are still not obsolete. We still need to do better. And I hope Jessie and Thelma’s story sends that message to our audiences.”

‘Night Mother by Marsha Norman is presented by Counter-Productions Theatre Company, and directed by Valerie Remillard, starring Audrey Lavin Crawley and Becky Minard. The show runs November 16 – 25 at AS220’s Black Box Theatre located at 95 Empire Street in downtown Providence. Performances are November 16, 17, 23, 24 at 7pm and November 18, 25 at 2pm. For more information visit cptcri.com.

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.