by jiehae park
directed by sheila daniels

april 18 – may 3, 2026

the falls theatre at union arts center | 700 union st

An older couple enjoys a summer day on a park bench, talking about birds and the likelihood of rain. A simple conversation…or maybe more. An ordinary afternoon transforms into a shifting world of surreal possibilities in a stunning and surprisingly funny meditation on memory, forgiveness, and the lifelong process of becoming who we are. From the mind of acclaimed playwright Jiehae Park in her signature innovative style, this Seattle premiere will reignite your sense of wonder.    

This production brings together thoughtful direction, cohesive design, and a cast fully invested in the material

The Sound On Stage

It’s best to go in without knowing too much…the play uses sparse and abstract dialogue to pose questions about partnerships, identity, forgiveness, and the passage of time

Cascade PBS
[R. Hamilton Wright] brings a beautiful simplicity to Old Man

The Seattle Times

cast & creative

Zé Zé Cramer – A Girl
Varinique “V” Davis – Young Woman 
Jerik Fernandez – Young Man

Kathy Hsieh – Old Woman 
R. Hamilton Wright*† – Old Man

Sheila Daniels^ – Director 
L.B. Morse – Scenic Designer 
Melanie Burgess – Costume Designer 
Robbie Matos – Lighting Designer

Matt Starritt – Sound Designer 
Annett Mateo – Puppet Designer and Coach 
Raya Tuffaha – Fight Director
Sarah Harlett – Intimacy Director

Mackenzie Breda – Stage Manager 
Madelyn Salvucci – Production Assistant

Mariana Amorine – Youth Supervisor
Jamie J. Kranz* – Substitute Stage Manager

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
^Member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers (SDC)
†Core Company Member

run time

90 minutes, with no intermission

content advisory

themes of death and mortality, scenes of domestic violence, and adult language

sensory advisory

use of strobe lights and haze

program

special events

opening night

Thursday, April 23, 2026
Pre-show party: 6:30pm
Performance: 7:30pm

Join us free before the show for our Opening Night celebration featuring music, photos, and fun.

community day

Saturday, April 25, 2026 between 3:30pm – 5:30pm

In partnership with Drunken Owl Theatre join us for Park Bench: A Bird’s-Eye View – an afternoon of music, poetry, and new plays inspired by Jiehae Park’s the aves.

cast chat

Directly following the 2pm matinee on Sunday, April 26, 2026

Join the cast for a casual post-play discussion about their journey and the production.

ASL performace

Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 2pm

audio described performance

Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 2pm

*SPOILERS INCOMING!*

Read below if you’d like some clarification on the story!

An old man and old woman are not ready to leave the world, and are interested in a new procedure where they can swap brains with a younger person and live in that younger person’s body. The procedure is hugely expensive, and the old man sells his eyes so his wife can have it.

(Scene 1 is the only time we see the old woman in her original body).

Once she’s in the young woman’s body, the old woman gets close with a young man. The two of them enjoy being active together, something the old man can’t do, especially once he’s given up his eyes. The old man convinces the young man to go through the procedure with him, and they swap bodies. The old woman is very upset about this.

(At this point, whenever you see the young couple, the old couple’s brains are inside them, and vice versa).

The old man’s body dies with the younger brain inside it. Time passes. A little girl gets her ball. The old man’s body remains on the bench. Only birds notice him. More time passes.

The old woman and young woman discuss living in each others’ bodies. Have their personalities changed as well? What parts of our identities live in our bodies, and what live in our brains?

The old man and the old woman sit on the bench and talk again, only they’re in young bodies. The old woman’s brain has begun to experience dementia. The old man realizes. Although the old woman may not remember what she forgives him for, she forgives all the same.

An old man and old woman go through a procedure where their brains are swapped into the bodies of a young man and young woman.

Once swapped, the old couple and young couple are in opposite bodies for the rest of the play.

The old woman and young woman swap after the first scene.

The old man and young man swap just before their first scene on the bench together.

This is up to interpretation, but she reminds us that the world is bigger than these characters, and shows the passage of time.

The old man and old woman (in their young bodies) reconvene, and the old man realizes that, despite her younger body, the old woman’s brain has begun to experience dementia. He apologizes for lying about his own Procedure, but she does not remember he is not just a young man; rather, her partner of 50 years in a young man’s body. Regardless, she notes how wonderful it is to forgive.