Purple Rose Theatre Company opens its 2026-27 season with Bastard, a compelling world premiere by Michigan storyteller and journalist Devin Scillian that reminds audiences that the deepest family wounds are often hidden beneath the quickest laughs.
Set against the backdrop of grief, long-buried secrets, and sibling rivalry, Bastard follows two estranged brothers brought together after the death of their mother. Jake Lambert, a washed-up country music star whose life has been marked by hard living and poor choices, finds himself face-to-face with his younger brother Beau, a polished and successful financial advisor. Their reunion quickly becomes a reckoning, as decades of resentment and an unexpected family revelation force both men to confront painful truths.
The scenic design of Bastard is both inviting and authentic, creating a warm, lived-in family home that immediately draws the audience into the story. Rich with realistic details, the set reflects the characters’ history and sense of place, becoming an extension of the Lambert family’s identity. Thoughtfully arranged furnishings, décor, and practical playing spaces allow scenes to flow naturally while reinforcing the intimacy of the family’s conversations and confrontations.
Finding humor in heartache
While the premise suggests a heavy family drama, the production never becomes emotionally oppressive. Instead, Scillian’s script finds humor in life’s most uncomfortable moments, allowing the audience to laugh even as difficult conversations unfold. That balance between comedy and heartbreak is what gives the play its emotional authenticity.
Director Rhiannon Ragland, Artistic Associate at Purple Rose Theatre Company, said that very balance was what first attracted her to the script.
“Ironically the humor within the drama is what drew me,” Ragland said. “I’m a laugh-at-a-funeral type of person, and the way Devin used humor in the story to reveal things about each person was a lovely example of our real-life faults and foibles in vulnerable moments.”
That philosophy permeates every scene. Rather than inserting punchlines, the production allows humor to emerge naturally from recognizable family dynamics. The audience often laughs not because characters are trying to be funny, but because they are painfully, awkwardly human.
Ragland credits the experienced ensemble with maintaining that honesty.
“There aren’t really any jokes,” she explained. “The situations are fraught with humor. There’s an old saying we abide by: ‘Ask for the butter, not the laugh,’ which means we tell the truth and let the audience find the humor.”
An ensemble that feels like family
The cast embraces that philosophy beautifully. Every performance feels lived-in rather than theatrical. The brothers’ relationship evolves with believable complexity, shifting between anger, tenderness, sarcasm, regret and reluctant affection. Supporting characters add warmth and texture without distracting from the emotional center of the story.
The cast of Bastard delivers heartfelt, authentic performances that make the complicated dynamics of the Lambert family feel genuine and deeply relatable. Mark Colson brings both charisma and vulnerability to Jake, while Joe Kathrein offers a compelling balance as the steadfast Beau. Hallie Bee Bard, Hope Shangle, Danny Ayotte, and John Seibert each contribute memorable performances that seamlessly blend humor, warmth and emotional depth. Complementing the acting is an impressively detailed, lived-in set that effortlessly transports the audience into the family’s world. Every element of the production supports the storytelling, allowing the emotions, relationships and moments of revelation to unfold naturally in the intimate Purple Rose Theatre setting.
Because Bastard is a world premiere, the production also benefited from an unusually collaborative rehearsal process. Ragland worked closely with Scillian throughout rehearsals as the play continued to evolve.
RELATED: What’s on Stage: October 2026
“The best part of a world premiere here at Purple Rose is the collaboration,” she said. “Best idea wins. We talked throughout the process about structure and line changes. He was in the rehearsal room with us, and we worked on transitions together. The playwright is our guiding light as we work to deliver the story to our audiences.”
That collaboration shows. The dialogue feels natural and conversational, while the pacing allows emotional revelations to unfold organically rather than feeling rushed or overly sentimental.
Questions that linger after the curtain falls
At its heart, Bastard asks difficult questions about forgiveness, identity, and whether family history defines who we become. The title itself invites debate, and audiences may find themselves reconsidering their assumptions more than once before the final curtain.
Ragland hopes those conversations continue long after patrons leave the theater.
“I hope they’re talking about who they think the real bastard is,” she said. “I hope they’re talking about their own secrets. I hope they’re talking and remembering their own funny grief-filled moments. I hope they’re talking. Period.”
Without revealing spoilers, there are several moments that earn audible gasps alongside genuine laughter, culminating in a conclusion that feels earned rather than predictable. The production captures something many families recognize—that love, resentment, humor, and sorrow often occupy the same space.
When asked if there was one particular moment that she was excited for audiences to experience, Ragland laughed before offering only a cryptic tease.
“Is it a cop-out to say the whole thing?” she said. “I’ll leave you with the playwright’s favorite line from the show: ‘Is there coffee?’ Once you’re there, you’ll know.”
Like that mysterious line, Bastard continually surprises. It refuses to paint its characters as heroes or villains, instead presenting flawed people doing their best to navigate grief, reconciliation, and the complicated inheritance of family.
Purple Rose has built its reputation on presenting intimate, character-driven stories, and Bastard fits comfortably within that tradition. Funny, moving, and thought-provoking, this world premiere demonstrates that some of life’s hardest conversations are also the ones most worth having.
Whether audiences leave debating who the “real bastard” is, or reflecting on their own family stories, one thing seems certain—they won’t leave without something to talk about.
Performance information
Bastard is presented by the Purple Rose Theatre Company, 137 Park Street, Chelsea, Michigan. The production runs through December 20, 2026.
Donna Marie Iadipaolo is a writer, journalist, and State of Michigan certified teacher, since 1990. She has written for national publications like The Village Voice, Ear Magazine of New Music, Insurance & Technology, and TheStreet.
She is now writing locally for many publications, including Current Magazine, Ann Arbor Family, and the Ann Arbor Independent. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she graduated with an honors bachelor’s degree and three teacher certificate majors: mathematics, social sciences, English. She also earned three graduate degrees in Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Education Specialist Degree.
