YOU IN MIDAIR

Leaving the theater, I overheard an audience member say, "Danna's courage to tell this story is a gift to the world." Those words perfectly articulated my experience of seeing this show. Danna's brilliant, whimsical, gripping writing and acting compelled the audience to face the unbearable threshold of mortality, ripping away denial, and exposing us to unanswerable questions that lurk just beneath the surface of human awareness: The bittersweet preciousness of life, the excruciating agony of death, the protective warmth of humor, the unexpected light of love and soul connection. I am changed because of this show. Thank you, Danna, for this gift. ... full review

The murder of starlet Rebecca Schaeffer in 1989 was just a piece of morbid Hollywood history to me so I welcomed the chance to hear her mother's POV---and I was not disappointed. Danna Schaeffer recreates in dramatic detail her reactions at that pivotal time, as well as a brighter "Before" (in Italy) and a sadder "After", as she and her husband Benson (also present) coped and healed---in spite of the efforts of well-meaning friends. The full house was silent and attentive to her barely-projected whispery voice. Unforgettable, because it's true.... full review

I clearly remember when actress Rebecca Schaeffer was murdered in 1989 on her doorstep by a fan who was stalking her, long before this type of behavior was the norm as it seems to be today. This solo show, written and performed with amazing emotional insight by her mother Dana Schaeffer, begins with stories from her only child's childhood during which she worried if little Rebecca was out of her sight for a few minutes. So imagine how this proud mother, who spoke daily with her daughter when she moved from Oregon to Los Angeles to pursue her acting dreams after landing the lead role in My Sister Sam and then visited with her in Rome and Venice while filming a movie, reacted with disbelief when a call from a police officer in Los Angeles ca... full review

I loved it. I had read about it in a journal and was so curious to see it. I was very impressed how one person has the courage and the raw talent to be able to tell such a personal and tragic story. How the experience of the loss changes but stays the same over time. ... full review

"You in Midair: An Elegy for a Daughter" is not an elegy -- it's a mother's lament. Danna Schaeffer shares her joy in her daughter Rebecca, a rising actress, and recounts her arduous journey after Rebecca's murder into a life without her. Schaeffer is intelligent, vivacious, and witty -- but she does not enact the grief she describes. As a result, we do not experience it, nor the catharsis we wish for. ... full review

Mostly well written. Poignant story. ... full review