Mom's Gift
by Phil Olson

Name: Mom's Gift
Brand: Phil Olson
SKU: 9780573702471
Rating: 4.25 (8 reviews)

Mom's Gift Book Cover — Mom's Gift Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

105 mins Present Day Reduced Casting (Doubling Possible) Interior Set Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes Comedy

Synopsis

In this comedy with a heart, Mom has been dead for 11 months and shows up at her husband’s birthday party as a ghost with a mission.

Like Clarence in It’s A Wonderful Life , she has to accomplish a task to earn her wings.

Only what the task actually is is a mystery.

There are so many things to fix.

The problem is complicated by the fact that the only person who can hear or see Mom is her daughter, who has been ordered by the court to spend Dad’s birthday with him as part of her Anger Management Program.

One by one, the family's secrets are peeled away, revealing a shocking truth that surprises even our ghost.

Press Reviews

"If you love the comedy It’s a Wonderful Life, this modern variant by playwright Phil Olson is just for you!"
— Not Born Yesterday

"This is a MUST SEE to make your holiday complete!"
— NoHo Arts“Time rarely moves so fast on stage as in Mom’s Gift. The rapid-fire succession of uproarious one-liners and poignant family revelations brings the audience to the completely unexpected surprise ending in what seems like a flash.” – Norwegian American Weekly“A rare treat! If it is indeed holiday entertainment you are looking for, Olson’s play will fill those emotional gaps and turn a routine holiday into an unforgettable journey towards forgiveness, love and self-transformation. It is a unique theatrical experience!” – The Tolucan Patch“A humorously poignant and thought-provoking story... Touching and hysterical in turns... Heartwarming and compelling... This story is a heartfelt cross between family dynamics, the loss of a loved one, and the power of love.” – Tolucan Times“An audience pleaser!.. Observations Along the Road

"This is a MUST SEE to make your holiday complete!” – NoHo Arts“Time rarely moves so fast on stage as in Mom’s Gift. The rapid-fire succession of uproarious one-liners and poignant family revelations brings the audience to the completely unexpected surprise ending in what seems like a flash.” – Norwegian American Weekly“A rare treat! If it is indeed holiday entertainment you are looking for, Olson’s play will fill those emotional gaps and turn a routine holiday into an unforgettable journey towards forgiveness, love and self-transformation. It is a unique theatrical experience!” – The Tolucan Patch“A humorously poignant and thought-provoking story... Touching and hysterical in turns... Heartwarming and compelling... This story is a heartfelt cross between family dynamics, the loss of a loved one, and the power of love."
— Tolucan Times“An audience pleaser!.. Observations Along the Road

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
KAT 30. The older sister. Plain, extremely smart. Acerbic, but vulnerable and sympathetic. More playfully sarcastic than mean-spirited, especially with Mom.	female	30	30. The older sister. Plain, extremely smart. Acerbic, but vulnerable and sympathetic. More playfully sarcastic than mean-spirited, especially with Mom.
MOM 60. Good sense of humor. Deeply caring. A cynical Vikings fan.	—	60	60. Good sense of humor. Deeply caring. A cynical Vikings fan.
DAD 60. A doctor. Nice guy. Reserved. Holds cards close to the vest.	—	60	60. A doctor. Nice guy. Reserved. Holds cards close to the vest.
BRITTNE Y – 22. The younger sister. Pretty. A Hooters Girl. Peppy, ditzy, sincere, genuine, not sarcastic.	female	—	Y – 22. The younger sister. Pretty. A Hooters Girl. Peppy, ditzy, sincere, genuine, not sarcastic.
TRISH 45. Pretty. A nurse. Kind.	—	45	45. Pretty. A nurse. Kind.
KEVIN 30. Neighbor growing up. Good looking, successful business person, jock in high school.	—	30	30. Neighbor growing up. Good looking, successful business person, jock in high school.
MRS. NORQUIST (Voiceover) – 70's. Neighbor. A little loopy. We never see her.	female	70	(Voiceover) – 70's. Neighbor. A little loopy. We never see her.