The Civilians Put Divorce on Stage in New Show, You Better Sit Down

By Adam Hetrick
November 4, 2009

The Civilians will stage their new documentary theatre piece, You Better Sit Down: Tales From My Parents' Divorce, at the Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn Nov. 13-14.

Known for basing their stage works on interviews and research, the Civilians have turned their own parents into the subjects of their latest venture. The 8 PM Galapagos performances on Nov. 13 and 14 will be filmed for an online series release.

According to press notes, "The evening explores each couple's first meeting, the ups and downs of their marriage, their split, and the surprising perspectives on life after divorce. In these alternately funny, devastating, revelatory and moving performances, the four actors are the conduits of their parents' stories and, inevitably though sometimes inadvertently, also of their own experiences of family division. This provocative show reveals the stories behind the statistics of one of the most prominent social phenomena of our time."

Anne Kauffman directs a cast including Matthew Maher, Caitlin Miller, Jennifer Morris and Robbie Sublett, who drew on their parents' stories for the work. Janice Paran serves as dramaturg.

For tickets, priced $15, visit GalapagosArtSpace. Galapagos Art Space is located at 16 Main Street in DUMBO, Brooklyn.

For more information, visit www.thecivilians.org.