The Velocity of Autumn
Witten By: Eric Coble
Directed by: Jenni Elliott
Starring: Barbara Hankins and William Olson
DESCRIPTION
THEATRE
The Velocity of Autumn
November 5th-8th
“The Velocity of Autumn” centers on Alexandra, an 80-year-old artist whose fierce independence collides with her children’s well-intentioned but misguided attempts to control her future.
Confident, sharp-witted, and unafraid to take drastic measures to be heard, Alexandra barricades herself inside her Brooklyn brownstone, determined to defend her autonomy at any cost. Into this standoff steps Chris, the estranged son who hasn’t been home in twenty years and is wrestling with his own longing for acceptance and belonging.
As he becomes the family’s unlikely mediator, old wounds surface, truths crack open, and humor cuts through the tension. What unfolds is a wickedly funny, deeply touching exploration of aging, identity, and the fragile, ferocious bonds that hold families together.
Show Times
Location:
Center for Spiritual Living Fort Lauderdale
4849 North Dixie Highway Oakland Park, FL 33334
The Arts at CSL – Center for Spiritual Living
954-566-2868
About
DESCRIPTION
The Velocity of Autumn is a powerful, heart-opening story that explores the unbreakable bond between a mother and son as they navigate fear, aging, and long-buried wounds.
At its core, the play celebrates Love as the thread that endures even through conflict, honors the Diversity of perspectives that shape every family, and reveals the profound Oneness that connects us no matter how far we drift. Alexandra’s fierce spirit and creative legacy illuminate a life rich with Abundance, while both she and Chris undergo deep Spiritual Growth as they confront truth, forgiveness, and transformation.
Ultimately, their journey reminds us that Service often looks like simply showing up — with compassion, presence, and the courage to stay connected.
THEMES
A deeper dive into the main themes of the play are:
LOVE
- Love remains the unbreakable thread between Alexandra and her children, even when fear and misunderstanding cloud the surface.
- The play reveals that love is not the absence of conflict but the courage to stay connected through it.
- Alexandra and Chris rediscover that love has the power to soften defenses and reopen long-closed doors.
DIVERSITY
- The story honors the diversity of human experience across generations, perspectives, and emotional landscapes.
- Alexandra and her children embody different ways of seeing the world and that there are multiple ways of solving a conflict, reminding us that diversity of thought enriches rather than divides.
- The play celebrates the unique identities, histories, and temperaments that shape each character’s truth.
ONENESS
- Beneath the tension lies a profound reminder that family is a single, interconnected system — each member reflecting the whole.
- The play shows that even when we barricade ourselves, we remain inseparably linked to one another.
- Alexandra and Chris rediscover their shared humanity, proving that Oneness persists even through years of separation.
ABUNDANCE
- Alexandra’s life — her art, memories, passions, and fierce spirit — reflects the abundance of a fully lived human journey.
- The play invites us to see abundance not as material comfort but as the richness of relationships, creativity, and inner fire.
- Even in the autumn of life, abundance flows through wisdom, humor, and the courage to keep evolving.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
- Alexandra’s confrontation with aging becomes a spiritual initiation, calling her to release fear and embrace transformation.
- Chris’s return home becomes a path of healing, forgiveness, and rediscovery of his own inner strength.
- The play reveals that spiritual growth often emerges from the very moments we resist the most.
SERVICE
- Chris steps into service by showing up for his mother with compassion, presence, and willingness to listen.
- Alexandra’s life as an artist is an act of service — offering beauty, truth, and emotional honesty to the world.
- The family’s journey reminds us that service is not always grand; sometimes it is simply being there for one another.
