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‘Distracted’ Oakland comedy-drama gives attention to a familiar ailment
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
“Distracted,” playwright Lisa Loomer’s 2009 play that looks at life with Attention Deficit Disorder, will get its local premiere this weekend at the Oakland Center for the Arts.
It’s a comedy-drama that many people will identify with, said director Sam Luptak Jr., who describes it as heartfelt and touching.
“You will recognize a lot of characters and say, ‘I know someone just like that,’” said Luptak.
The play focuses on a family — and the mother in particular — that is dealing with the traumas of rearing a child who has ADD. They try everything to help him, going through all the standard prescriptions and prohibitions before coming to some familiar conclusions.
“In some way, it’s more about the the mom and the family than about Jesse, the boy who has ADD,” said Luptak.
Though the play finds humor in all of the aspects of life with ADD, it isn’t harsh or mean.
“It makes fun of the foibles of the way people act and react to ADD, but not the people who have it,” said Luptak. “The funniness is in the human reaction.”
Luptak, who works with children in schools, proposed the script to the Oakland board before the season began. “I’ve seen many kids with ADD, and I’m tired of seeing them labeled or doped down to a stupor.”
The stage play itself takes on the short-attention span, jumpiness and impulsiveness that are the hallmarks of ADD. It mainly takes place in the home and doctor’s offices.
“The set is frenetic,” said Luptak. “The show has a sense of ADD.”
It’s meant to communicate how society in general has lost its focus, crowded out by an endless stream of interruptions — electronic, digital and otherwise.
“The underlying lesson is we all have some form of ADD,” said Luptak. “Electronics, cellsphones and other things all take our attention away from what really matters.”
The play creates a sense of not being able to totally focus because it moves so fast. Luptak uses lighting and projected images to get this message across.
“In one scene, mom is on the phone telling a doctor about what another doctor told her about a conference that he went to,” said Luptak. “She is in four places at once.”
Carla Napoli plays Jesse’s mom in her first major role, and Joe Marshall is his dad.
Jesse is played by 7-year-old Johnny Dragos, whom Luptak calls “fantastic.”
Grace Offerdahl plays the offstage voice of Jesse.
Playing an assortment of doctors, teachers and neighbors are Barb Malazia, Gerri Sullivan, Lori Broderick, Brittiani Ketcham, Craig Conrad, Donette Bishop, Rachel Clifford and Rikki Stape.