Close Ties shows the family dynamics when a beloved family member quietly begins to need more care than the immediate family can provide.   Meghan Williams Elkins delivers a solid performance as the 80+ year-old matriarch Josephine Whitaker. She walks with purpose while carefully navigating th e curving level change that divides the set. Gram Josephine sets the tone from the very beginning, laying out her expectations and demands to any and all, even unexpected visitors. While her middle-aged daughter Bess, nicely rendered by Meg McGarry, tries to maintain a strong and deliberate stance with her brood of four young adults, she’s no match for her mom’s commandeering of the family. Everybody genuflects to Gram’s increasingly onerous demands, making excuses for her mistakes and forgetfulness until they can no longer ignore potential dangers and mishaps. Ron Ward, as husband/dad Watson, has the patience of Job in dealing with his mother-in-law’s antagonistic barbs, but finally nudges the family to accept that Grandma is losing her grip.  Leyla Doany, Meg McGarry, Ron Ward, Cassiane Mavromatis, and K.L. Plan-Faber in ‘Close Ties.’ Photo by Kim Harmon Photography. Playful direction by Vanessa Markowitz shows the ties among the family members even when words don’t connect. The actors portray the siblings authentically as they jostle over their current lives and past squabbles. They’re all together for a few vacation days in the Berkshires and try to play nice. When long-festering resentments percolate up, concerns about their grandmother halt their bickering and prompt them to process what no one seemed to see (or want to see) coming. While they’re not the warmest or most affectionate bunch, they all agree that Grandma is their rock. What happens when that bastion of respect and respectability starts talking to herself, mishandles utensils, loses and misplaces items, and shouts angrily in frustration? When reality bites, only then do the family members look up from their mini-dramas and ponder next steps — together. Director Markowitz makes the best of a script (written by Elizabeth Diggs in 1982) that’s stifled by somewhat staid characters who don’t seem to have much bonding to each other. Perpetual graduate student sister Evelyn, a wonderfully petulant Cassiane Mavromatis, stomps in like the world owes her something and brings up old wounds that haven’t healed. The entrance of her “friend with benefits” Ira, a lovingly accommodating Rohan Basunthakur, brings much-needed warmth to the ensemble. So do the younger siblings Connie, played by Bri Craig with a quiet, caring demeanor, and younger brother Thayer, played gleefully by K.L. Plano-Faber. In one entertaining bit, Thayer insists he’ll become an online hit with goofy signature stomping moves that he hopes will be the next rave. When other family members unexpectedly join in, their care for each other warms their otherwise cool interactions.   Jeff Asjes creates a sophisticated set with a complete kitchen and cupboard in the background right, tiered on a second level, and a full dining room table on the base level for raucous dinner gatherings. Lighting by Elaine Ferrell is a work of art with intriguing backlit windows that shade the cupboards. The colors transition from lavender to fuchsia to reflect the mood, opening the second act with a menacing reddish hue. Sound design by Skye Skolnik is also particularly effective, featuring upbeat pop-rock hits from the Doors and even the Beatles, along with Jennifer Morrissey’s costumes, each with a distinct style for each character. TOP: Rohan Basuthakur, Leyla Doany, Cassiane Mavromatis, and K.L. Plan-Faber; ABOVE: Cassiane Mavromatis and Meghan Williams Elkins, in ‘Close Ties.’ Photos by Kim Harmon Photography. Close Ties is a look at how, even when simmering secrets, mother-daughter conflicts, and questionable choices seem poised to derail a family, an internal group connection can help everyone pivot and adjust. In this case, there’s hope that the Whitakers will find a way to handle an uncomfortable new reality that’s been in front of their eyes all along. Running Time: Two Hours and 30 minutes, including a 10-minute Intermission. Close Ties plays through February 8, 2026, presented by the Rockville Little Theatre, performing at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville Civic Center Park, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, MD. Purchase tickets ($24; $22 for students and seniors) online,by calling the Box Office (240-314-8690), or by email ([email protected]). Close TiesWritten by Elizabeth DiggsDirected by Vanessa Markowitz CASTJosephine Whitaker: Meghan Williams ElkinsWatson Frye: Ron WardBess Whitaker Frye: Meg McGarryConnie: Bri CraigAnna: Leyla DoanyEvelyn: Cassiane MavromatisThayer: K.L. Plano-FaberIra Bienstock: Rohan Basuthakur The production team credits are here. The post A family falters and nearly fractures in ‘Close Ties’ at Rockville Little Theatre appeared first on DC Theater Arts. ...read more read less