Marc and Dora Straus
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MARC J. STRAUS Presents His Heartfelt Verse Drama APHASIA at NNYC's Chain Theatre for a Limited Three-Show Run! Directed by MARA MILLS — Oct 9–11
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, August 31, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Over the course of just three performances, the Studio Theatre in Exile will showcase the work of Marc J. Straus—a celebrated poet, playwright, physician, and art collector—who brings his intensely personal verse play, APHASIA, to New York City from October 9 through October 11, 2026. This production is part of the Factory Series at the Chain Theatre, located at 312 W. 36th Street, 3rd floor.
Straus both wrote and performs APHASIA, with direction by Mara Mills and stage production by Jeremy Gratt. The play draws its inspiration from Straus’ mother, Dora, and the catastrophic stroke that robbed her of the ability to communicate with those around her.
Dora Straus regains consciousness in an emergency room following a massive stroke that leaves her right side paralyzed and causes aphasia. Though she comprehends everything that is happening, she is unable to make herself understood by anyone.
A strong-willed, exceptionally bright, and intensely competitive person, Dora had graduated from college as valedictorian at the age of 76. Now voiceless and completely reliant on others, she is compelled to examine her life, her relationships, and her own mortality. Through a sequence of deeply personal monologues, Dora takes a thorough inventory of an existence that was complex, demanding, and deeply lived.
Alternately sorrowful, humorous, and angry—yet always relentlessly honest—APHASIA grants a voice to a woman who has lost the power of speech.
Straus himself performs the character of Dora, conveying his mother’s narrative through a series of touching and lyrical reflections. By playing this role, he speaks both on her behalf and to her, crafting an intimate portrayal of a mother as recalled by her eldest son.
“APHASIA is my way of honoring my mother by giving voice to the thoughts and feelings she could no longer express after her stroke,” said Straus. “Dora was brilliant, formidable, and unforgettable, but she could also be deeply difficult. Writing and performing this play has allowed me to confront those memories honestly while preserving the full complexity of who my mother was. It is an act of remembrance, reckoning and, ultimately, compassion.”
ABOUT
MARC J. STRAUS is a widely recognized poet whose work has been featured in leading literary journals such as The Kenyon Review and Ploughshares. He has authored four poetry collections, three of which were released by TriQuarterly Books/Northwestern University Press.
Straus has earned many accolades, among them the Robert Penn Warren Annual Award Lecture in the Humanities from Yale University and a residency at Yaddo. He formerly served as Chairman of Oncology and Professor of Medicine.
In 2011, he established MARC STRAUS, a contemporary art gallery in New York City. Together with his wife, Livia, he is a well-known art collector, and the couple founded Hudson Valley MOCA in Peekskill, New York, in 2001.
APHASIA marks Straus’ second play. His debut work, NOT GOD, has been staged at theaters across the United States, including Off-Broadway.
MARA MILLS serves as an Artistic Director and Stage Director who, alongside Jeremy Gratt, founded The Herbert Mark Newman Theater and the Studio Theater in Exile, located within the Hudson Valley MOCA. With more than 45 years of experience in producing, directing, and touring across the Metro area, her work centers on dramaturging and directing original pieces, especially those focused on women.1
Her partnership with Marc Straus includes directing his plays Not God and APHASIA. Mills has also brought a Holocaust-themed production about Jewish Resistance Fighters to Budapest. Her theater contributions have been recognized with multiple honors, including the East Coast Theater Conference Service to Theater award, the Cab Calloway award for excellence in creating theater, a 2026 award from Peekskill Pride for her STIE collaboration, and a 2026 commendation from the City of Peekskill.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
APHASIA
A Play in Verse
Written and Performed by Marc J. Straus
Directed by Mara Mills
Friday, October 9 at 7 PM; Saturday, October 10 at 7 pm and Sunday, October 11 at 3 pm
The Chain Theatre is located at 312 W. 36th Street, 3rd floor
Running Time: 85 Minutes
Tickets begin at $40, for tickets, visit aphasia2026.eventbrite.com
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JT Public Relations
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