by Patrick White
Mother. Daughter. Father. Son. opened Wednesday night at Adirondack Theatre Festival as an eagerly anticipated play this summer as it is the World Premiere by a very popular and sought after playwright, Douglas Lyons (Beau, Chicken and Biscuits) and has a cast led by Tony winner Lillias White (The Life, Hadestown)and direction by Obie winner Tiffany Nichole Greene.
Edna McCray has recently suffered through some kind of medical incident which has forced her youngest daughter, Peace, to take her into her house. The mother and daughter have a great deal of trouble adjusting to the new living circumstances. Edna bridles very funnily at the comfort of her mattress and why she can’t introduce herself to the nice man living next door that she has been peeking through her blinds at.
That gentleman would be Bill Bell who is in a precarious living situation himself which worries his son Eli, who also happens to be Edna’s doctor. The play is very rich in contemporary pathos and nearly everyone in the audience will be able to identify with the wrenching and sometimes hysterical elder care issues raised.
The family comedy has plenty of great laughs which are more than enough to recommend its viewing but could still use tweaking to fulfill its great potential. What works is tremendously winning and that is a comical frankness towards racial and gender differences addressed mostly by the elders. Edna has no problem announcing that she’s going next door to speak to the white man and Bill is equally at home identifying “lesbianic” women for Peace to date. While their guileless forthrightness marks them as out of touch with politically charged sensitivities, they come across as extremely good natured, fun, out of touch seniors who are fantastic company to share time with.
Lillias White as Edna McCary, Wynn Harmon as Bill Bell, and Grace Porter as Peace McCray in Douglas Lyons’ “Mother. Daughter. Father. Son.” in the Adirondack Theatre Festival production at the Charles R. Wood Theater. Photo: Jim McLaughlin Photography. 
Grace Porter as Peace McCray and Josh Davis as Eli Bell in Douglas Lyons’ “Mother. Daughter. Father. Son.” in the Adirondack Theatre Festival production at the Charles R. Wood Theater. Photo: Jim McLaughlin 
Josh Davis as Eli Bell, Wynn Harmon as Bill Bell, and Lillias White as Edna McCray in Douglas Lyons’ “Mother. Daughter. Father. Son.” in the Adirondack Theatre Festival production at the Charles R. Wood Theater. Photo: Jim McLaughlin 
Lillias White as Edna McCray and Wynn Harmon as Bill Bell in Douglas Lyons’ “Mother. Daughter. Father. Son.” in the Adirondack Theatre Festival production at the Charles R. Wood Theater. Photo: Jim McLaughlin 
Lillias White as Edna McCray and Grace Porter as Peace McCray in Douglas Lyons’ “Mother. Daughter. Father. Son.” in the Adirondack Theatre Festival production at the Charles R. Wood Theater. Photo: Jim McLaughlin 
Lillias White as Edna McCray and Wynn Harmon as Bill Bell in Douglas Lyons’ “Mother. Daughter. Father. Son.” in the Adirondack Theatre Festival production at the Charles R. Wood Theater. Photo: Jim McLaughlin 
Cast, playwright, and director of Douglas Lyons’ “Mother. Daughter. Father. Son.” in the Adirondack Theatre Festival production at the Charles R. Wood Theater. Photo: Jim McLaughlin 
Lillias White (Edna) and Wynn Harmon (Bill) mine these scenes for every laugh available and provide an enormous amount of the show’s appeal and enjoyability, especially Harmon who has never been better. His Bill is a Hail fellow well met whose cheerful bonhomie works exceptionally well for both his high spirits and his stiff denial of his living circumstances. Harmon who has appeared many times at Capital Repertory Theatre also has a lovely recognition of his grief speech sensitively handled. Ms. White also has a great, magnetic outsize personality that can wring laughs easily and at will. She was hampered slightly in her freedom by still being on book Opening Night.
Grace Porter plays Peace with a matter of fact bluntness and is not afraid to go toe to toe with her mother which makes her conversion late in the play especially moving, well done. Josh Davis as Eli has the most awkward part but he is very appealing and wins our sympathies immediately. I feel there’s a scene needed that would tell me more about this character.
The physical production is very attractive with two house door fronts facing each other from opposite ends of the stage that expand easily and quickly to the McCray’s living room and the Bell’s front yard. Set design by Garett Wilson, lighting by Martha Carter, sound by Chris Reed Jr. and fantastic costumes by Rodrigo Muñoz.
The play ends rather abruptly and the character’s severe neurological conditions could use more consideration.
Mother. Daughter. Father. Son. is a trenchant, deeply moving comedy that strives to show us who we are now and has all the elements of becoming a contemporary comic favorite. It’s a privilege and a pleasure to see and we owe thanks to ATF to allow us to attend the first step in its journey.
The Adirondack Theatre Festival presents Mother. Daughter. Father. Son. by Douglas Lyons, directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene, July 8-19, 2026, at the Charles R. Wood Theater, 207 Glen Street in Glens Falls, NY. CAST: Lillias White as Enda McCray, Wynn Harmon as Bill Bell, Grace Porter as Peace McCray, Josh Davis as Eli Bell. CREATIVE TEAM: Set design by Garett Wilson, lighting by Martha Carter, sound by Chris Reed, Jr., and costumes by Rodrigo Muñoz.
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