PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Broadway and screen veterans Dan Lauria and Patty McCormack are bringing an acclaimed play about memory, aging and enduring human connection to the Colonial Theatre this September — and both actors are donating their performances so the production can raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association and the historic Phoenixville theater.
Just Another Day, running Sept. 25-27, approaches Alzheimer’s disease and dementia through an unusual combination of humor, compassion and heart. Rather than defining its characters by memory loss, the play focuses on the personalities, dignity and humor that remain, giving audiences moments designed to provoke both laughter and tears.
Lauria, whose stage and screen credits include The Wonder Years, Lombardi, Sullivan & Son and A Christmas Story, developed the play after visiting a close friend living with dementia. His friend would talk about baseball games from decades earlier as though they were unfolding in the present, inspiring Lauria to explore the experiences of people living with memory loss and the families who travel that journey alongside them.
The resulting portrayal has connected with audiences during the play’s Off-Broadway, international and regional runs. After one regional production, an audience member approached Lauria with a simple expression of gratitude: “Thank you for not making them stupid.”
Joining Lauria in Phoenixville is McCormack, whose career spans Broadway, film and television, with credits including The Bad Seed, Frost/Nixon and The Sopranos. Both performers have agreed to appear without compensation so proceeds can benefit the Alzheimer’s Association and the Colonial Theatre.
A Friendship Brings the Production to Phoenixville
The local engagement also grew from a friendship stretching back nearly two decades.
Dr. James R. “Doc” Ogden, chair of the Council for Retail and Sales board of directors and professor emeritus at Kutztown University, met Lauria in 2008 after filmmaker Zeke Zelker introduced them during a Lehigh Valley film shoot. Their friendship eventually developed into a creative partnership encompassing theater and film projects.
Ogden has since worked on projects involving Lauria including Meeting of Minds, The Retailer and Ghost in the House. Now, that relationship is helping bring Just Another Day to Phoenixville through the Council for Retail and Sales at DeSales University, with support from local sponsors.
The production’s ambitions extend beyond fundraising. Organizers hope the performances encourage conversations about Alzheimer’s disease, caregiving, aging, memory and identity while reminding audiences that people living with dementia remain individuals with humor, personality and dignity.
Event Details
- What: Just Another Day, starring Dan Lauria and Patty McCormack
- When: Sept. 25-27, 2026
- Where: Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville, PA 19460
- Cost/Tickets: Ticket prices vary by performance and seating selection; proceeds benefit the Alzheimer’s Association and the Colonial Theatre
- More Info: https://thecolonialtheatre.com/events/live-theatre/just-another-day/
For Lauria, McCormack and the organizers behind the Phoenixville performances, the weekend offers a chance to use theater not only to entertain but also to build empathy and support families touched by Alzheimer’s disease — while helping sustain regional theater in the community.
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