People’s Light, Chester County’s 50+ year destination for world-class theatre and live arts, will kick off its 2025-26 season with the world premiere of The Unexpected 3rd: A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive, a raw, poetic, and darkly funny solo show by Obie Award-Winning Actor and Writer Kathryn Grody.
Running Sept. 17-Oct. 19, this powerful new work invites audiences into Grody’s intimate reflections on aging, identity, and staying true to oneself no matter what the world expects of you. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at People’s Light online or by calling 610.644.3500.
Following sold-out readings at the 2024 Kiln New Works Festival at People’s Light, The Unexpected 3rd returns to the theatre that helped spark its development, now taking center stage as the season opener.
“The transition into elderhood is not just bewildering but equal parts empowering, mysterious, and absurd,” said Kathryn Grody, whose eclectic career spans boundary-pushing theatre, political activism, and internet fame alongside husband Mandy Patinkin. “This show is about living truthfully, unapologetically, and with unyielding curiosity at 78 and beyond. It feels especially right to debut it at People’s Light, a place that embraces honesty, complexity, and the full spectrum of being human.”
Grody’s longstanding relationship with People’s Light Producing Artistic Director Zak Berkman adds a personal dimension to the collaboration. “My family has known Kathryn’s family for over 40 years,” says Berkman. “Our connection bridges generations, geography, and life experiences. Having Kathryn premiere this deeply personal, expansive, and wildly original work here at People’s Light is not only a full-circle moment, it’s a profound honor.”
Directed by acclaimed regional Theatre Director and Grody’s longtime friend and collaborator, Timothy Near, the production playfully blurs the line between personal monologue and theatrical memoir, inviting audiences of all generations to reflect on what it means to grow older in a culture obsessed with staying young. At its core, The Unexpected 3rd is a dynamic and real-time contemplation of a universal question: What happens when you’re no longer who you were but not yet someone else?
“I don’t know anyone funnier or more insightful than Kathryn,” said Near. “Her razor-sharp humor and joyful mischief bring such life to her reflections on aging, gender, and identity. She has a singular voice and I’ve always admired how courageously and intimately she connects with audiences.”
“The Unexpected 3rd is the perfect kickoff to our 2025-26 season,” stated Shonali Burke, Managing Director of People’s Light. “Kathryn’s voice is singular, hilarious, and courageous all at once, and her ‘radical, rollicking ruminations’ speak to anyone who’s ever wondered how to keep evolving in the face of change. Theatre like this builds connection. It sparks conversation. And that’s what People’s Light is here to do.”
The Unexpected 3rd runs Sept. 17-October 19 on the Steinbright Stage at People’s Light, located in Malvern. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at People’s Light or by calling 610.644.3500.
Additional programming includes:
- AfterWORDS | Post-Performance: You’ll want to unpack this one. Right after select performances, stay for a post-show discussion moderated by People’s Light staff, often joined by members of the cast or creative team. You can bring your thoughts and questions, or just sit back and listen. Please check the website for event dates.
- Access Dates | Tuesday, Sept. 23, 7:00 PM | Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2:00 PM: To expand access to People’s Light work, the theatre offers half-price Access Dates throughout the season. The discount is automatic for these performances; no promo code is required.
- Accessible Performance: Relaxed, Described, and Signed | Sunday, Oct. 5 at 2:00 PM: Enjoy a welcoming and inclusive performance experience designed to make everyone feel at home. This Accessible Performance features three supportive services:
- Relaxed Performance: A judgment-free, “shush-free” environment where traditional theatre rules are relaxed. Audience members are welcome to move around, make noise, or take breaks as needed.
- Audio Description: Headsets provide live, narrated commentary on key visual elements of the performance, woven seamlessly with the dialogue for blind and low-vision audience members.
- American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation: Provided by Hands UP Productions, ASL interpreters bring the performance to life for Deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members.
For more information on this production, additional programming, news, and events, visit Peoples Light.
Founded in 1974 in Malvern, People’s Light is one of Pennsylvania’s largest professional nonprofit theatres and a national leader in creating and producing new work. With a deep commitment to community, the organization seeks to inspire and connect people through stories that illuminate our shared humanity. Each season features a mix of world and regional premieres, bold new takes on classics, and joyful musical revivals, as well as creative community-centered programming that welcomes audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
In addition to its robust season of productions, People’s Light is home to an award-winning education program and year-round arts engagement initiatives that transform the campus into a vibrant gathering place through immersive performances, music, food, and community. With its resident company of artists and long-standing collaborations with playwrights and performers, People’s Light continues to be a cultural hub that champions innovation, inclusion, and the transformative power of the arts.
To learn more, visit People’s Light, or follow along on social media @peopleslight.
