WITHOUT MERCY by Patricia Milton, A World Premiere presented by Off Broadway West Theatre Company
Joanna is devastated to learn her daughter, Mercy, who disappeared six years before, was murdered. Returning home from alcohol rehab, Joanna finds her surviving daughter, Bethany, bent on a personal agenda: Bethany has hired a legal advocate and insists on supporting a plea bargain for Mercy's killer. Their clash of deep-seated beliefs pits Joanna and Bethany against each other, and long-held resentments erupt around the family's tragedy. Their advocate, Sam, swears he's neutral, but his actions contradict his claim. Piece by piece, the truth unfolds as the past collides with the present. Challenged by a terrible trade-off, the three struggle to reach a resolution. Directed by Richard D. Harder. Cast: Sylvia Kratins, as Joanna Parks (the Mother), Niki Yapo-Held, as Bethany Mathews (the Daughter), & Ian Walker, as Sam Sibley (the Lawyer).