People’s Light Launches 2025/26 Season with World Premiere of Kathryn Grody’s The Unexpected 3rd: A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive
Obie-winning artist’s solo show explores aging, identity and reinvention with fierce humor and radical honesty
Malvern, Pa. (August 6, 2025) — People’s Light, Chester County's 50+ year destination for world-class theatre and live arts, will kick off its 2025/26 season with the world premiere of The Unexpected 3rd: A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive, a raw, poetic and darkly funny solo show by Obie Award-winning actor and writer Kathryn Grody. Running September 17 through October 19, 2025, this powerful new work invites audiences into Grody’s intimate reflections on aging, identity and staying true to one’s self – no matter what the world expects of you. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at peopleslight.org or by calling 610.644.3500.
Following sold-out readings at the 2024 Kiln New Works Festival at People’s Light, The Unexpected 3rd returns to the theatre that helped spark its development, now taking center stage as the season opener.
“The transition into elderhood is not just bewildering but equal parts empowering, mysterious and absurd,” says Kathryn Grody, whose eclectic career spans boundary-pushing theatre, political activism and internet fame alongside husband Mandy Patinkin. “This show is about living truthfully, unapologetically and with unyielding curiosity at 78 and beyond. It feels especially right to debut it at People’s Light, a place that embraces honesty, complexity and the full spectrum of being human.”
Grody’s longstanding relationship with People’s Light Producing Artistic Director Zak Berkman adds a personal dimension to the collaboration. “My family has known Kathryn’s family for over 40 years,” says Berkman. “Our connection bridges generations, geography and life experiences. Having Kathryn premiere this deeply personal, expansive and wildly original work here at People’s Light is not only a full-circle moment, it’s a profound honor.”
Directed by acclaimed regional theatre director and Grody’s longtime friend and collaborator Timothy Near, the production playfully blurs the line between personal monologue and theatrical memoir, inviting audiences of all generations to reflect on what it means to grow older in a culture obsessed with staying young. At its core, The Unexpected 3rd is a dynamic and real-time contemplation of a universal question: What happens when you’re no longer who you were but not yet someone else?
“I don’t know anyone funnier or more insightful than Kathryn,” says Director Timothy Near. “Her razor-sharp humor and joyful mischief bring such life to her reflections on aging, gender and identity. She has a singular voice and I’ve always admired how courageously and intimately she connects with audiences.”
“The Unexpected 3rd is the perfect kickoff to our 2025/26 season,” says Shonali Burke, Managing Director of People’s Light. “Kathryn’s voice is singular, hilarious and courageous all at once, and her ‘radical, rollicking ruminations’ speak to anyone who’s ever wondered how to keep evolving in the face of change. Theatre like this builds connection. It sparks conversation. And that’s what People’s Light is here to do.”
The Unexpected 3rd runs September 17 – October 19, 2025 on the Steinbright Stage at People’s Light located in Malvern, Pa. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at peopleslight.org or by calling 610.644.3500.
Additional programming includes:
- AfterWORDS | Post-Performance - You’ll want to unpack this one. Right after select performances, stay for a post-show discussion moderated by People’s Light staff, often joined by members of the cast or creative team. You can bring your thoughts and questions, or just sit back and listen. Please check the website for event dates.
- Access Dates | Tuesday, September 23, 7 p.m. | Wednesday, October 8, 2 p.m. - To expand access to our work, we offer half-price Access Dates throughout the season. The discount is automatic for these performances, no promo code required.
- Accessible Performance: Relaxed, Described & Signed | Sunday, October 5 at 2 p.m. - Join us for a welcoming and inclusive performance experience designed to make everyone feel at home. This Accessible Performance features three supportive services:
- Relaxed Performance: A judgment-free, “shush-free” environment where traditional theatre rules are relaxed. Audience members are welcome to move around, make noise or take breaks as needed.
- Audio Description: Headsets provide live, narrated commentary on key visual elements of the performance, woven seamlessly with the dialogue for blind and low-vision audience members.
- American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation: Provided by Hands UP Productions, ASL interpreters bring the performance to life for Deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members.
