Shedding Light on a Forgotten Past: Amy and the Orphans at Ground Floor Theatre
At Ground Floor Theatre, audiences were transported into a story that was both heart-wrenching and eye-opening with Lindsey Ferrentino’s Amy and the Orphans, directed by Maryanna Tollemache. The 90-minute production tackled the painful yet necessary subject of the neglect and abuse of individuals with disabilities, a history that still echoes today.
The play begins decades earlier, with parents Sarah (Meredith O’Brien) and Bobby (Justin Smith) struggling with the impossible decision of how to care for their newborn daughter, Amy, who has Down syndrome.These opening flashbacks set the tone for the rest of the play, pulling the audience into the weight of the family’s choices.
In the present, Amy’s siblings Jacob (Adam Donmoyer) and Maggie (Cathie Sheridan) reunite after their father’s death. On their way to the funeral, they stop to pick up Amy (Sydney Weigand) from the care facility where she now lives. There, they meet Kathy (Giselle De La Rosa), Amy’s caretaker, who gradually reveals the shocking truth of Amy’s years in Willowbrook—a history of torment and abuse long hidden from her siblings.
Weigand’s portrayal of Amy was a standout, balancing warmth, humor, and vulnerability in a role that demanded emotional depth. Donmoyer and Sheridan captured the complicated emotions of siblings grappling with guilt, ignorance, and grief as they learned the truth about their sister’s past.
The performances of O’Brien and Smith as Sarah and Bobby were equally moving, grounding the narrative in the very real struggles of parents who felt trapped by a system that offered them no alternatives. Their scenes made the audience confront not only the personal tragedy of Amy’s institutionalization but also the broader failure of society to care for its most vulnerable.
While Amy and the Orphans deals with painful subject matter, it also carries moments of humor, humanity, and resilience. Under Tollemache’s direction, the production never loses sight of Amy’s individuality—her voice, her agency, and her spark—which shine brightly despite the darkness of her past.
Ground Floor Theatre’s production is more than just a family drama—it is a reminder of how far we have come in recognizing the dignity and rights of people with disabilities, and how essential it is to remember the injustices of the past so they are never repeated.
Amy and the Orphans runs from August 14 through August 30, 2025, at Ground Floor Theatre in East Austin. Performances are scheduled at 7:30 PM, offering multiple opportunities to experience the show. Tickets are available online through Ground Floor Theatre’s box office. This is your chance to witness a deeply moving and socially resonant production—don’t miss it.
