Morning Sun

Directed by Michael Shanahan, Produced by Micheal Frances
Run Dates: Jan 16-25, 2026

Morning Sun by Simon Stephens is a beautiful and complex play about the passing of time, the relationship between mothers and daughters, and the weight and wonder of an ordinary life. The ordinary, extraordinary truth of a life, and the women who share it.

“Morning Sun is a beautiful thing to watch, as much for the elegant dance of its moving pieces as for its powerful understanding of the pains and joys of those remarkable unremarkable lives.”

— Deadline
A woman in a pink dress sits on a bed, gazing out of a window at a city skyline during morning sunlight.

Set in Greenwich Village, Morning Sun traces the life of Charley McBride across fifty years, unfolding through the voices of three generations of women—Charley, her mother (Claudette), and her daughter (Tessa). All three are onstage throughout, weaving in and out of time as they narrate, embody, and reflect on Charley’s journey.

The play is non-linear, shifting across decades and perspectives. It explores identity, memory, motherhood, loss, and resilience. Stephens uses a minimalist set and poetic dialogue to evoke the emotional texture of everyday life.

Morning Sun is a meditation on the beauty and pain of ordinary lives, reminding us that the interruptions and detours are what shape us—and what we carry forward.

The image shows a group of four women standing together on stage. One woman is seated on the floor, while the others are standing behind her, posing in a dramatic manner with serious expressions. The background is plain and dark. This appears to be a promotional image for a theatrical production.
Opening page of a playbill for "Morning Sun" by Simon Stephens, presented by Stupid Courage Productions. The page features cast and production credits on the left and biographical information with headshots of three actresses on the right.

Learn More

Reviews of Morning Sun

McKenna talks Morning Sun

Anna Maria Strickland Reflects

Michael Shanahan on Directing Morning Sun

Meredith talks Morning Sun