The Memory of Water revolves around a funeral and its chief mourners, three sisters with little in common but the perplexing legacy of their childhood with the mother they’ve come to bury: Teresa, seemingly content with her second marriage and health food business though an obsessive over-organizer; Mary, a vaguely discontented successful doctor with an equally successful lover, who is, alas, married; Catherine, the youngest, who binges on shopping for inappropriate clothes, go nowhere love affairs, and drugs. There’s also the about to be buried mum, ghostly vision in green taffeta, visible and audible only to Mary, though her influence and demand to be understood rather than buried and forgotten haunts all three sisters. But, at this funeral, laughter is as present as grief.

Please note: There will be no performances the weekend of October 24-26; performances resume October 31. (Happy Halloween!)

What the Critics Say

“The Memory of Water …is dotted with stimulating observations…it has a raw spontaneity that captures perfectly the idea of what normal people do in abnormal times…” NY Times

“The Memory of Water really lives up to the poetry reflected in its title. It also keeps us highly entertained for two hours and leaves us deeply touched in the end.” NY Daily News

“This touching and hugely entertaining comedy provides an insight into the lives of three sisters who are reunited for their mother’s funeral. A neurotic maternal type, a paranoid doctor and a brattish youngest sibling recall their childhood, but find that personal grievances have coloured their memories, which differ greatly and cause immense friction.” The Independent

“This is a lovely piece, full of humour and heart…the play works best…in its satisfying mixture of sardonic humour and deep emotion. Excellent jokes give way to festering resentments, booze and dope-fuelled hilarity to sudden glimpses of buried secrets and aching pain.” The Telegraph

“Shelagh Stephenson [is] a dramatist with a sharp eye and a gift for quirky dialogue to match.” London Times

“Stephenson skillfully charts the joyous and painful territory of family relationships with insight and compassion.” The Globe and Mail

Note: This play contains mature themes and language; may not be appropriate for young children; parental discretion advised.

The Memory of Water will be performed on October 17, 18, and 31, and November 1, 7 and 8 at 8:00 pm. Sunday matinees on October 19 and November 2 will begin at 4:00 pm. Please note there will be NO performances the week of October 24.

Individual tickets for The Memory of Water ($19 for adults; $16 for seniors and students) are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased via this website, or at the theatre box office one hour before curtain. Tickets are available online until 2 hours before curtain.

If you’re unable to pay by credit card, please refer to the special instructions on the Tickets and Subscriptions page.

If you need assistance, you can also leave a message on our Box Office phone line, at 541.368.7092 and one of our volunteers will call you back.

If you have purchased a season subscription already, and still need to select your seats, click here.

All performances will be in the intimate Black Box theatre at Corvallis High School, 1400 NW Buchanan Avenue. Click here for a map. or click here for a photo.

Getting to the theatre: Please note that the best parking and access to the theatre at the high school is by using the 11th Street entrance. The theatre entrance is very close to the East entrance to the school.