Be a Good Little Widow

A young widow (Wrenn Schmidt) collides with her unemotional mother-in-law (Jill Eikenberry) in Bekah Brunstetter’s tender and oddly charming play. The plot travels a fairly predictable route, but Brunstetter’s strength of characterization and fine ear for dialogue enliven the often humorous proceedings, and Stephen Brackett’s nuanced direction helps his cast create endearing characters.—Diane Snyder