By Hafsa Naz Mahmood
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Thursday, March 29, 2007

Twenty actors.

Twenty-six different scenes.

“That’s very unusual in today’s day and age,” said Marge Uhlarik-Boller, director of “I Remember Mama,” which is being staged by Wheaton Drama.

The upcoming production is a story about a Norwegian family struggling to make ends meet in 1910 in San Francisco. The performance will run Friday through April 22 at Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale St., Wheaton

The story is based on Kathryn Forbes’ book, “Mama’s Bank Account,” which eventually became a hit TV series known as “I Remember Mama.”

The narrative is told through the eyes of the eldest daughter and touches on subjects such as life, death and poverty.

“It’s a very heart-warming story of a family and their ties with each other,” Boller said.

Production Manager Scott Neidl said the play offers an opportunity for artistic collaboration between light and set designers.

“We’re relying pretty heavily on the lights this time around,” he said. “It’s not just a signature, fixed show where everything takes place in the same location. With each one of those scenes comes a series of lights,” Neidl said.

Boller said the play evokes a sense of humanity.

“It’s different because it is a play about a real family, and the human nature that’s revealed within the play is very humorous, touching and real,” Boller said.

“It’s not about a sitcom family where the kids make wisecracks.”

For tickets, visit www.wheatondrama.org or call (630) 260-1820.