Charity Case

Directed by: Ernest Singleton
By Ainsworth Reader's Theatre

This play opens in a cemetery, where an orphaned boy is searching for relatives. The thing he dreads most is being returned to the "Haven", from which he has escaped. This poignant drama shows one of the major problems of our times: the impersonal institutions that are supposed to aid the helpless, the lonely and the handicapped but can't provide the needed help without depriving the individual of his freedom. To be helped, the boy must be locked up. The play has a timeless quality that will affect audiences anytime, anywhere. It deals with man's fear of captivity, his fear of repression of spirit and his resentment of institutionalism. It portrays one of man's most desperate tragedies — loneliness, and one of his most basic necessities — the need to belong. A gripping play for all groups. (Synopsis by Dramatic Publishing)