Tornados Couldn’t Shake Up Sayville Players Fall Play: "Mutually Assured Destruction"

In Mutually Assured Destruction:10 Plays about Brothers and Sisters by Don Zolidis, the Sayville Players put on a series of skits that dealt with the perpetual squabbling of siblings. Four performances, Thursday and Friday evenings with a Saturday matinee and Saturday evening final curtain call, showcased rotating casts in the roles.

“We are delighted,” Director Doug Shaw remarked in the program notes, “to return to our home, the Little Theatre for live performances. This play was chosen partially because of the ability to stage only two characters at a time, who may largely remain socially distant.”

Whether the MAD exchanges between Tara and her brother Julien was over social media, escalating Instagram as a tool of mutually assured destruction; Joe’s brutal honesty about Sam’s embarrassing singing as an American Idol contestant dressed as a clown; the bad behavior of siblings Chad and Rachel causing their parents’ divorce; or even the secrets of fickle bride Virginia wiggling her way out of her upcoming nuptials by asking her sister, Evelyn, to lie, the players delivered convincing and comic portrayals that entertained.    

Not even the tornado warnings—beeping on cellphones in the audience during Saturday’s Matinee—could shake up the actors. The production was briefly postponed to ensure everyone's safety during the height of the wind and hailstorm, but once the actors resumed their engaging performances, they continued without missing a beat. Kudos to all!

Mutually Assured Destruction: 10 Plays about Brothers and Sisters by Don Zolidis

2015: Mutually Assured Destruction, 

2002: 15 Minutes of Clown Fame, 

1993: The Fount of Inspiration,

1985: I’m Pretty Sure This is Your Fault,

1977: A New Hopeless, 1968: Coming Home,

1955: Lassoing an Angel,

1944: A Love letter to Ma,

1938: A Star is Almost Born,

1922: Very, Very Cold Feet