Mike & Molly Creator Mark Roberts to Present Readings of Living the Dream

Screenwriter, actor, and comedian Mark Roberts — best known for creating the TV series Mike & Molly — will present two staged readings of his new comedy Living the Dream at the 52nd Street Project. Directed by Matthew Penn, performances will be held on January 19 at 3pm and 7pm. Plans are underway for an off-Broadway run this fall.

Living the Dream follows a day and night in the life of Dale and Louie – two retirees who have known each other all their lives. Now most days are spent perched in Dale’s driveway, waxing nostalgic about their glory years or shaking their heads in disgust at the stupidity and ambiguity of anything or anybody under 40. As they desperately cling to "all the old songs" and the other familiar symbols of their youth, the world outside shows them that the times really are changing, and this is no longer the America they thought they knew.

The cast of Living the Dream will feature Roger Casey, Gillian Glasco, Peter Lewis, Taylor Marie Rasmussen, and Mark Roberts. The creative team also includes lighting designer Matthew Miller, set designer Kris Stone, and sound designer Amy Altadonna.

"This play was originally about two lifelong friends getting older and facing retirement," said Roberts in a statement. "But then our country exploded and splintered into a million finger-pointing factions and like everyone else I’m just trying to pick through the rubble and piece together some semblance of a nation I once cared about. And I’m trying to do it with compassion instead of blame…And I made the play funny because I’ve always believed that laughter helps a lot."

Roberts's other stage plays include Parasite Drag, Rantoul and Die, Where the Great Ones Run, and New Country.

To reserve tickets for Living the Dream, email Apreece316@gmail.com, and use the code DREAM when making the reservation.