****  Often, we meet or see a young parent ( or parents) with a chronically sick child, or in some cases, one that is handicapped in one way or another. In “Mary Jane”, now on the stage as part of the 50th Anniversary of Northlight Theatre, we get into viewing the involvement and struggles of being in this position.

Mary Jane ( an incredible portrayal by Lucy Carapetyan) who is onstage the entire 105 minutes ( no intermission), going from scene to scene as we watch this single mother of a little boy ( Alex) who is chronically ill, with little hope for a cure. In this powerhouse of a play, directed to perfection by Georgette Verdin, we get to meet the circle of other women that are as  important to her as anyone could ask for. Each of these women shows us the strength of who they are and why Mary Jane connects with them.

The cast that has been assembled to bring this story to life is also one that will astound you. Several of them take on more than one role and do so with the strength for which they are known for. In the very first scene, meet Ruthie ( played by Chicago favorite Mary Beth Fisher). Ruthie is the building manager/owner who is doing some repair work and trying to get a better look at Alex. We then meet Sherry ( deftly handled by Elana Elyce) a specialized nurse who makes sure that baby Alex is okay. Later we meet Amelia ( Kaylah Marie Crosby, who will come back later as Kat, a specialized nurse). Another one of our character meetings is Brianne ( Dara Cameron in a non-singing role) who is going to be an aid to Maty Jane. Cameron comes back later as a Jewish mother, Chaya, who has a child that is also chronically ill. This scene is one where Cameron shows us another side of her talent, as she takes on a comic role in a drama, and does so with great success.

By the way, Elyce returns as Dr. Toros when Alex is rushed to the hospital and placed in intensive care, and Fisher comes back as a new chaplain at the hospital with her chore of consoling Mary Jane. As we watch the story unfold and meet all of these characters, we learn how strong a mother can be. Did I mention that Mary Jane is a single mother? What we learn from Herzog’s play is about compassion and how each of us can act or react to the events that make our lives what they are . There are no easy ways in life. We all know that it takes very little in one’s life to sway the pendulum the other way, and that our lives can change in an instant. Finding people to surround yourself with that will ease the pressure and make life more bearable is what we need and while Mary Jane’s life is one filled with complications and dead-ends, Herzog helps her to gain strength through all of the ups and downs. I know that this play was highly regarded in 2024, but I would have to say that this cast and this production might be even stronger.

On the tech side, the set ( A Inn Doo) is simple and quite easy to transform from apartment to hospital. The costumes( Steph Taylor) are realistic and designed for quick changes allowing a smooth transition from scene to scene. Eric Watkins’ lighting and the sound and original music (Christopher Kriz) added to the quality of the production and Lonnae Hickman’s props were great. My co-host is a Physicians Assistant, and when I discussed the medical elements of the script and production, he said they were “right on”!

“Mary Jane” will continue Thru – Feb 22nd with performances as follows: