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Conversations with Mother

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  1w, 1m

Matthew Lombardo

This unsettling yet tender comedy traces the relationship between an Italian-American mother and her son over the course of five decades. Through learning curves, life’s complications and hard-won victories, their love for each other holds plenty of laughs and a few tears, but most importantly, never diminishes.

Conversations with Mother

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    1w, 1m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Biography
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

Growing up isn’t easy – especially with a strong-willed, Italian-American mother keeping tabs on your every move. Free-spirited Bobby has a knack for getting into trouble, and his mother, Maria, never hesitates to offer her opinion, like it or lump it. As he comes of age and builds a life for himself in New York City as a struggling playwright – is there any other kind? – Maria is always there with a phone call or check-in, following her mother’s intuition. And when Bobby begins to seek independence as a gay man, Maria stretches her own beliefs to support him. Through learning curves, life’s complications and hard-won victories, their love for each other holds plenty of laughs and a few tears, but most importantly, never diminishes. An unsettling yet tender comedy that traces the relationship between an Italian-American mother and her son over the course of five decades.

History

Conversations with Mother premiered off-Broadway at Theater 555 on 42nd Street on 23 February 2025. Directed by Noah Himmelstein, the production starred Matt Doyle as Bobby and Caroline Aaron as Maria.

Keywords
Performing Groups

MARIA COLLAVECHIO – Plays ages 37-76. Mother. Co-dependently obsessed and involved in the life of her youngest son. Opinionated. Strong-willed. Affectionate yet tough. A survivor and a fixer. Although she exhibits a hard facade, there is an underlying and surprising vulnerability. 
BOBBY COLLAVECHIO – Plays ages 8-65. Son. Handsome, masculine yet boyish. Dependent on his mother’s approval and support. Constantly getting into trouble. A free spirit. Irresponsible and rudderless. Behind his attractive front lies a dark and unsettling insecurity.

  • Time Period Contemporary, New Millennium/21st Century, 1990s, 1980s, 1970s
  • Setting

    Various locations, including NYC. Five decades.

  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features No Intermission
  • Duration 90 minutes

Media

“Laugh-out-loud funny, sharply insightful, and deeply touching.” – DC Theater Arts

“Both sweet and tender, noisy and unsettling... [this play] is an entertaining, often touching two-hander about a combative relationship between a troubled gay man and his aggressively obnoxious but deeply devoted mother that spans five decades.” – Observer

“Matthew Lombardo’s excellent two-hander speaks volumes about life, liberty and the often impossible pursuit of happiness.” – New York Stage Review

“Conversations with Mother is a laugh-out-loud funny, sharply insightful, and deeply touching tribute to the complex, close-knit, cherished connection between a parent and child.” – DC Theater Arts

“This play is for anyone who’s ever had an overbearing mother, an identity crisis, or just needed someone to tell them they’re doing okay.” – Rob Shuter on Substack

Videos

  • Conversations with Mother – Cast Talks New Show on ABC7NY youtube thumbnail

    Conversations with Mother – Cast Talks New Show on ABC7NY

  • Caroline Aaron & Matt Doyle Are Getting Ready for Conversations With Mother – Trailer youtube thumbnail

    Caroline Aaron & Matt Doyle Are Getting Ready for Conversations With Mother – Trailer

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £85 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:
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Authors

Matthew Lombardo

Matthew Lombardo
Matthew Lombardo is a New York based playwright whose work has earned him national recognition. Broadway credits include High starring Academy and Tony Award nominee Kathleen Turner at the Booth Theatre and Looped starring Valerie Harper in a Tony nominated performance as Tal ...
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