It’s a Family Affair

Madonna and Angelina Jolie have made it fashionable, but Mia Farrow started the trend long ago. It seems that nowadays, adopting a foreign baby is the Hollywood way of getting good press. But local playwright Susan J. Westfall knows firsthand how significant of a life change the decision can be...

By Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik

May 3, 2007

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Madonna and Angelina Jolie have made it fashionable, but Mia Farrow started the trend long ago. It seems that nowadays, adopting a foreign baby is the Hollywood way of getting good press. But local playwright Susan J. Westfall knows firsthand how significant of a life change the decision can be. “We were people who had one child and we wanted another one. We saw a child on a video tape and knew he was the one,” she recalls of her own international adoption experience, which inspired her latest play. The Boy from Russia makes its world premiere tonight at the Actor’s Playhouse, and although the experience is based on Westfall’s own adopted son, the similarities end there.

“In the development of the play, the characters evolve into who they are. This is a love story that speaks to the obstacles. Is their love strong enough to survive what they’ve put in front of themselves? How far do we have to go to create our families?” she asks. Hopefully these questions will be answered at 8:00 p.m.
May 9-June 3, 8 p.m.

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