What Norman Saw

What if you realized your child might be a monster?

The Concept

What Norman Saw is an exploration of how unconditional love can become an unmanageable burden. 

The Story

When Marie’s estranged ex-convict son, Donny, shows up on her doorstep unexpectedly, she thinks it might be a chance to reconnect. And it is, even if things are a little rocky at first. 

Then, just as they begin to reforge their relationship, a young girl in Marie’s neighborhood goes missing. 

Did Donny have something to do with her disappearance? Some people think so. 

Should Marie believe him when he says he didn’t? It’s not easy considering he doesn’t have a great alibi. 

When the girl’s body is found, Donny is arrested and brought to trial. Marie is left to decide how well she knows her son’s heart, how far she will go to defend him, and what it means to face her own past mistakes. 

Themes

Based on the short story of the same name, What Norman Saw uses the themes of perception, strength, and the legacy of guilt to look at the limits of parental love, understanding, and sacrifice in ways that many of us have wondered about but, luckily, few have ever had to face.

Accolades

What Norman Saw was awarded Best Play in the Jewish Ensemble Theatre’s 2022 Festival of New Plays, made it to the second round of the Austin Film Festival Playwriting Competition, and was a semi-finalist in the TRU Voices 2021 reading series.