In her autobiographical play 鈥�,鈥� playwright Suzanne Bachner takes the audience through the emotional and often frustrating process of searching for her birth parents.
A pair of performances of 鈥淭he Good Adoptee鈥� this weekend will benefit , which provides programs and services to vulnerable children and their parents or guardians.
The organization got its start in 1996 as a grassroots group, according to Randi Rubin Rodriguez, co-founder of the 鈥榬 Kids Family Center and its executive director.
鈥淲e were very fortunate in 1998, to receive $3,500 in seed money from the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven,鈥� Rubin Rodriguez said. 鈥淎nd that was the very beginning of us publicly fundraising, and we built a brand new building on Dixwell Avenue.鈥�
The organization has grown since then.
鈥淭wo years ago, we completed a $4.2 million capital campaign during COVID and expanded our facility from a single story building to a three story building, from 4,300 square feet to 15,000 square feet. So we have this beautiful new wing for adoption services.鈥�
鈥榬 Kids Family Center is hoping this weekend鈥檚 performances of 鈥淭he Good Adoptee鈥� will raise enough money to expand their adoptive services.
鈥淭his fundraiser is specifically designed to raise money so that we can bring on, ideally, a full-time adoption specialist, rather than using our staff whenever they become available,鈥� Rubin Rodriguez said.
鈥溾�� won awards for 鈥淏est Autobiographical Script鈥� and 鈥淏est Actress鈥� when the play premiered in the United Solo Theatre Festival in New York City. It was also named a 鈥淏est Play鈥� by Indie Theater Now.
