“Crazy Mama is, in the best sense, an actor’s theater and a writer’s theater at once: intimate, funny, harrowing, and finally radiant with the stubborn possibility that love can survive even what it cannot cure.”
PLAYOFF-BROADWAYNOW PLAYING
Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness
59E59 Theaters, Theater C · 2h 5m
Opened Sep 22, 2026 · Closes Oct 18, 2026
3 Rave
2 Positive
Critics' Take
Critics praise Linda Purl's extraordinary multi-character performance in this moving memoir about growing up with a schizophrenic mother, noting how her virtuosity seamlessly serves the heartrending storytelling.
Critic Scorecard
5 reviews3 Rave
2 Positive
Sort:
“A transformation begins in her eyes, travels into her face and then seems to spiral through her entire body, stretching almost like taffy until another human being stands before us.”
“And it's one of the best (more-or-less) solo shows I've seen in ages.”
“Thanks to both Purl and Williams, if your heart doesn’t break for Sharon, perhaps you should go see your cardiologist.”
“Even with those slower passages, Crazy Mama is funny, compassionate, dramatic, and devastating.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What do critics say about Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness?
Critics praise Linda Purl's extraordinary multi-character performance in this moving memoir about growing up with a schizophrenic mother, noting how her virtuosity seamlessly serves the heartrending storytelling. (CriticScore 86/100 from 5 reviews.)
Is Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness worth seeing?
Absolutely — Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness is one of the season's most acclaimed shows, earning a rare 86/100 from 5 critics. Don't miss it.
What is the CriticScore for Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness?
Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness has a CriticScore of 86/100 based on 5 professional reviews. This is considered a "Critical Gold" show.
Is Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness still running Off-Broadway?
Yes, Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness is currently playing at 59E59 Theaters, Theater C Off-Broadway. It is scheduled to close on October 18, 2026.
Where is Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness playing Off-Broadway?
Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness is playing at 59E59 Theaters, Theater C.
How long is Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness?
Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness has a runtime of 2 hours and 5 minutes, including 1 intermission.
Cast
Cast information is not yet available for this production.
Quick Facts
- CriticScore
- 86/100 (5 reviews)
- Status
- Now Playing
- Opened
- Sep 22, 2026
- Closes
- Oct 18, 2026
- Running
- Just opened
- Runtime
- 2h 5m
- Intermissions
- 1
- Theater
- 59E59 Theaters, Theater C
- Synopsis
- A daughter fights to hold her family together through her mother’s mental illness. Based on Sharon Scott Williams’ memoir, this play follows a young girl growing up in a family shaped by her mother’s recurring institutionalization and struggles with mental illness. As her mother becomes convinced she is working for the FBI and is repeatedly committed to psychiatric facilities, the family attempts to cope in different ways: her father turns to alcohol, while her brother wrestles with questions of faith. At the center of the story is Sharon’s determination to remain connected to her mother despite years of instability and separation. Combining live music with autobiographical storytelling, the play traces the long emotional impact of caregiving, hope, and survival within a fractured family.
- Data Last Updated
- October 5, 2026
