JANUARY Play Review: Paula Cizmar’s 2025 New York Production

JANUARY, written by Paula Cizmar and directed by Lorca Peress, is not an easy night at the theater. The play centers on the aftermath of a school shooting and asks the audience to sit with grief, blame, parenting and the uncomfortable question of how a community decides who deserves sympathy.

That sounds heavy because it is. But what made the production work for us was that it approached those ideas through people rather than turning the evening into a lecture.

What Is the JANUARY Play About?

At the center of the story are two mothers connected by an unimaginable tragedy. Lauren is the mother of the child who was killed. Maya is the mother of the child who caused the death.

The play follows the emotional and public fallout that surrounds both women. One is embraced by the media and public sympathy, while the other becomes a target for blame. From there, the story digs into grief, anger, responsibility and the way trauma spreads well beyond the people at the center of an event.

The Performances Were the Strongest Part

The actors had to move through emotionally demanding material without giving the audience much distance from it. The two maternal perspectives were especially strong because neither character was reduced to a simple symbol.

Several performers also shifted among other roles, including broadcasters and family members. Those transitions helped widen the story beyond the two central mothers and showed how quickly a private tragedy becomes a public narrative.

Minimalist Staging, Maximum Emotional Weight

The production used a restrained set rather than relying on elaborate scenery. That simplicity kept the focus on the actors and the language, which was the right choice for material this intense.

The bare stage also made the emotional shifts feel sharper. Without much visual distraction, every change in tone or perspective landed directly with the audience.

How Does JANUARY Handle Gun Violence and Parenting?

The play directly confronts gun violence, parenting and social responsibility, but it is more interested in questions than easy answers. It examines not only the family of the victim but also the family of the child responsible for the shooting.

That second perspective is what gives the play much of its tension. The audience is repeatedly asked to consider where blame ends, where empathy begins and how communities respond when there is no emotionally satisfying explanation.

Where Did JANUARY Play in New York?

The 2025 world-premiere production played at the Theater at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street in Manhattan. MultiStages presented the play in repertory as part of the Femme Collective.

The limited engagement ran from January 11 through February 1, 2025.

Was JANUARY Worth Seeing?

For audiences comfortable with difficult subject matter, yes. It was thoughtful, intense and anchored by strong performances. This was not a conventional feel-good theater night, but it was the kind of production that stayed with us afterward.

If you are looking for another Famadillo review of serious contemporary New York theater, see our Chasing Grace musical review.

The production reviewed here has ended. For archival information about the show, see the official MultiStages production page.