BALTIMORE — Maryland’s State Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, will host a special one-night-only staged reading of SQUEAKY, a poignant and deeply personal autobiographical comedy by Baltimore native Jeff Cohen, on Saturday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Set against the backdrop of beloved Baltimore landmarks — from Attman’s Delicatessen and Lexington Market to Memorial Stadium and Mondawmin Mall — SQUEAKY explores fraternal rivalry, family legacy, and the emotional complexities that arise when adult children must care for aging parents. At the heart of the story is Stan “Squeaky” Cohen, a larger-than-life patriarch whose humor, stubbornness, and undeniable presence shape the lives of his sons as they navigate difficult end-of-life decisions.
A Baltimore Story with National Talent
The staged reading features an acclaimed cast led by D.B. Sweeney, Tony Award nominee Craig Bierko, Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Richard Masur, two-time Obie Award winner Benja Kay Thomas, and Drama Desk, Theater World, and Elliot Norton Award winner Lizbeth MacKay.
“I’m thrilled that a play so deeply rooted in Baltimore will be heard in the city that shaped me,” Cohen shared. “SQUEAKY is funny, raw, and honest — and it’s a love letter to family, memory, and this city.”
A sequel to Cohen’s award-winning play Men of Clay, which was named Baltimore City Paper’s Best New Play of 2005, SQUEAKY has drawn praise from prominent theater leaders nationwide, with many calling it “beautiful,” “resonant,” and “ready for Broadway.”
A 35-Year Artistic Reunion
The reading also marks a 35-year reunion between Cohen and Sweeney. The two first collaborated on Cohen’s 1990 adaptation of The Seagull, a production that helped launch the stage career of Laura Linney and garnered acclaim from The New York Times and the New York Post.
Cohen, a Friends School alumnus, has built a celebrated career as a playwright, director, and producer. His work has earned Drama Desk, Obie, Lucille Lortel, Drama League, and AUDELCO Awards. He is widely known for his landmark play about Holocaust denial, The Soap Myth, which was later filmed and broadcast on PBS starring Ed Asner and Tovah Feldshuh.
Ticket and Media Information
Tickets for the staged reading of SQUEAKY are available at centerstage.org, by calling the box office at 410-332-0033, or in person at 700 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202.
For one night only, Baltimore audiences will experience a story that is at once hilarious and heartfelt — a tribute to fathers, families, and a city that continues to shape the narratives told upon its stages.