Homosexuality, bigotry, ethical responsibility for genetic research… How much have we really progressed as a society to know what power these stereotypes have and how they do or do not effect our everyday lives? Subliminal choices and ideas push and pull us in every decision from gays in the military to something as simple as what kind of chapstick we use. In the long and short of it, the problems associated with this issue are on a scale unfathomably greater than any of us care to admit. Phobias run rampant, assumptions based solely on how one carries themselves or what another wears affects even simple gestures and greetings in everyday living. But what if you could eliminate the problem completely? What if there were a way to tell one’s sexual preference before they ever even existed to perform the societally viewed faux pas. This is the question weighing on the shoulders of the Golds. A family who finds out the child that they are expecting has a 90% chance to become “like his uncle.” If you could terminate the pregnancy before the child was even born knowing this, would you?

David Gold is played by Brian Roster. Being called “different” by his own family, Phyllis and Walter Gold, played by Linda Boyd and Robbie Ramos.They try to give him everything they can, and love him as much as they feel comfortable allowing themselves to, yet tension is still terribly apparent throughout. Although the desire to provide and the sense of commitment is instilled in the parents, the lack of understanding and tolerance for their child’s behavior and decisions is not.

Kat Keys plays Suzanne Gold-Stein, David’s sister and wife of geneticist Dr. Rob Stein, played by Jay R. Hurst. Rob tends to show uneasiness toward Suzanne’s brother, harbors a general frustration directed at her and her need for family, all the while trying to defend his genome work in a way to not label himself as a “Nazi.”  He believes his research is well-founded and for the greater good for humankind, but it seems to only wave ethical red flags.  Susanne on the other hand, shows both sibling love and understanding to David and then, when he starts telling his stories, she shows dejection and ignorance towards his passion and morality. Upon the knowledge of the test battery conducted by Rob on her unborn fetus, tests come back completely normal except for one thing. Suzanne is confronted with the decision of aborting her pregnancy or living with the chance that their child may be homosexual.

Adam Jenks is the set/light designer, who creates a modern feel of a NYC apartment flat layout with only the use of a sectioned cloth scrim wall partition. Using light manipulation from both sides, he allows transparency through back lighting as well as front lighting for narratives.

The lack of mics attribute to some minor projection issues, most times becoming the most noticable in intimate moments. This in turn takes away from the gravity of the moment at times, even in the smaller venue that is the Oldfather Theatre at TCTA. Let this not deter you from viewing this show in its entirety, no matter what implications or hardships you may foresee… The percentile has been calculated, make the correct decision and see this show.

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