Director's Note

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When I knew I wanted to direct a show this year, I had no idea what I wanted to direct. When I was little, I remember seeing a show I loved called The Boy who Stole the Stars. I looked at other play written by the same playwright, Julian Wiles, and came across Helium. I read the play and fell in love. A beautiful play about the ups and downs of the life of a grandma with dementia was something that resonated with me a lot.

Every Sunday, my family would go to my grandma's apartment, eat dinner together, and have one adventure after another. Just like Gramms in the show, she was a teacher too-although my grandma taught ever subject in an elementary school. Just like Gramms, she passed on her love of teaching to her child. My grandma also loved her chocolate maybe even more than Gramms. I remember one Sunday she told us with this big smirk on her face that she found a little shop at her retirement home with free chocolate bars. The look on her face was priceless. Unfortunately the chocolate definitely wasn't free and she was terrified when she learned she'd been accidentally stealing. Although she was never diagnosed, my grandma had many symptoms of dementia. She would reminisce abut the past and tell the same stories over and over. My grandma would forget our names sometimes or give us birthday cards way before our birthdays. I remember when y grandma's health was very poor, she thought my bother was in a television show. I played along with it because it made her so happy to see my brother on TV. She was a brilliant woman who was always full of new surprises. 

On July 1st, 2017, my grandmother passed away. Her funeral was a celebration of life. Each program at her funeral came with a little pepper packet because not only did my grandma put a mountain of pepper on all of her food, but her life motto was to "put a little spice in your life".

As you go along with Gramms through the journey of life, she certainly puts a little spice in it. So sit back, relax, enjoy the show, and put some spice in your own life.