For families navigating the slow, quiet erosion of cognitive decline, the greatest wish is often the simplest: just one more time. One more shared joke, one more clear recognition, one more unclouded conversation before the mist rolls back in.
On Saturday, October 3, at 3:00 PM, acclaimed educator, speech forensics champion, and BIPOC playwright Dr. Kristy Thomas will bring that aching, universal longing to the stage in an exclusive industry presentation of her moving new play, Memory Cuts Deep. Taking place at AMDA Studios (250 West 54th Street, New York City), the presentation will be directed by industry veteran KM Jones and followed by a moderated talkback and a complimentary reception.
An Intimate Two-Hander Stripped of Medical Labels
Running an intense, tightly wound 45 minutes, Memory Cuts Deep centers on a daughter, Tosh, and her ailing father. When the scene begins, the father is entirely adrift, untethered by confusion. Then, in an instant that every caregiver dreams of, he snaps into sudden, luminous lucidity. For a brief, shining window, Tosh receives the gift she has spent months begging for—her father back in full possession of his mind, his humor, and his love. Yet, as quickly as the light appears, it fades, leaving the crushing, bittersweet ache of reality behind.
Notably absent from the script are the clinical terms that define the condition: words like dementia or Alzheimer’s are never uttered aloud. For Dr. Thomas, stripping away the medical terminology was a deliberate artistic decision born from her own personal journey with her father.
“The clinical labels are the curse words sometimes,” Dr. Thomas explains. “That is exactly how I felt about my father’s diagnosis. For a long time it was the elephant in the room that no one looked at, touched, or even addressed. In a lot of ways, the clinical labels overtook my life because I had to use them in order to research and learn what was happening to my father. In this moment as a writer, I just didn’t want to give it any more power.”
Instead of treating the illness as a clinical study, the play focuses entirely on the emotional bond between parent and child, balancing the fragility of memory with absolute respect for the person behind it.
“Those clarity moments are moments that anyone in my situation prayed for,” says Thomas. “The other side of that successful coin is that you also must recognize, eventually the person you wanted to have that clarity with will digress again. The experience was always magical, and it was always heartbreaking, so if the audience gets both of those, I did my job. There was never a moment in my father’s process when he lost his dignity.”
Quieting the Noise: Crafting the Story
While Dr. Thomas often works with larger ensembles—having seen two full-length plays produced in New York City (Memories of the Game and Gray: A Play About a Race Through Time)—she found that telling this story required radical economy.
“This aspect of storytelling was difficult for me. Typically, when I write I like to have more than two voices in the room,” she shares. “But I remember how difficult it became for my father to focus on a room full of people; loud noises and lots of laughter situations were tough. At the end of the day, I had to strip away the extra noise and focus. It was an honest decision that was easy to make.”
To guide this delicate narrative from the page to the stage, Dr. Thomas partnered with director KM Jones, a longtime artistic collaborator who understands both the theatrical mechanics and the profound personal grief behind the text.
“KM Jones has been an artistic friend for a very long time,” notes Dr. Thomas. “She knows my writing well enough to know when I want something to emotionally hit hard, and she’ll let me know if it’s a gut punch or a baby tap. She knows exactly how I feel about my mother and my father, so telling this story with her at the head of the voyage made sense.”
A Life Rooted in Voice and Authenticity
A powerhouse multi-hyphenate holding degrees that culminate in an Ed.D., Dr. Thomas has devoted over three decades to the performing arts and speech education. As an academic coordinator, performer, voiceover artist, and competitive forensics coach, she has coached and written dozens of state and national champions across NSDA, NIETOC, and UIL circuits. Through her writing and publishing venture, Always Writing 4 U LLC, she supplies young artists across the country with material that challenges, moves, and reflects real human truth.
Her foundational creative maxim—“Tell your story—it is the best story ever told”—serves as the emotional backbone for Memory Cuts Deep.
“The first play I ever wrote was because in 2014 my brother died, and I desperately wanted a way to make sure he would live forever,” Thomas reflects. “One of my best friends and mentors told me that when we write, we forever give life to the people those plays are about. It was never difficult to tell this story, as much as it is difficult to think about watching it on stage. This play is raw; within the pages I am very vulnerable and a lot of the love I have for my father has been woven into these scenes. My father would be proud, and that takes all fear away.”
Looking Ahead to Development
As the upcoming presentation approaches at AMDA Studios, Dr. Thomas views this reading not just as an artistic showcase, but as an open door for vital dialogue among artists, producers, and the caregiving community.
“I hope it sparks conversation about dementia research. It wasn’t a part of my life until it was, and then it felt like it completely engulfed me,” she says. “I want families to know that they are never alone because there are too many people in America who are suffering from this illness. My mother was my father’s caregiver for ten years… she stood by his side and loved him with every piece of her heart. My dream would be for this play to be developed and expanded, for it to be seen and heard and experienced, because I love writing emotional truth, and this one is a piece of mine.”
EVENT DETAILS
Production: Industry Reading, Talkback & Reception of Memory Cuts Deep
Playwright: Dr. Kristy Thomas
Director: KM Jones
Date & Time: Saturday, October 3 at 3:00 PM (Talkback and complimentary wine & cheese reception to follow)
Venue: AMDA Studios, 250 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019
Reservations & Inquiries: Industry RSVP required due to limited seating. For invitations and media inquiries, contact Jay Michaels Global Communications at info@jaymichaelsarts.com.
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