Experience The Lived-In Authenticity of Jessica Abrams' The First to Know

This article was published by Triangle Review on 5 March 2025.

Tonight marks the final performance of the Triangle debut of The First to Know, a new play written by Jessica Abrams, directed by Annie M. Taft and presented at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro; and if the opening weekend's full houses were any indication, this production has already struck a powerful chord with local audiences.

First presented on June 8, 2025, at the Hudson Theatres during the Hollywood Fringe Festival, The First to Know arrives in Carrboro with a long creative journey behind it. Abrams began writing the play in 2011, refining it through workshops and readings over more than a decade. Toward the end of this process, she realized that she herself was meant to portray the lead character. Adjusting the script to reflect her own age and perspective ultimately elevated the work, giving it a lived-in authenticity that resonates deeply on stage.

Abrams plays Naomi, a fiercely independent woman in her fifties who has always charted her own path. Permanently single and unapologetically self-reliant, Naomi suddenly announces astonishing news that she believes that she is pregnant. She makes this declaration not to a close friend or family member, but to her boss's boss's boss in the waiting room of a gynecologist's office.

From that startling premise unfolds a story that is both humorous and emotionally probing. As Naomi shares the news with the people in her life, each conversation exposes fragments of a complicated past -- particularly her fraught history with the man whom she believes to be the father. These encounters gradually force Naomi to confront long-buried memories and the narratives that she has constructed about herself. As Taft describes it, the play "asks profound questions about identity, memory and the stories we tell ourselves"; and Naomi's journey becomes one of letting go of an old self in order to imagine and embrace a new life based on who she is now.

Taft, who is originally from Los Angeles, brings a wealth of theatrical experience to the production. A director, playwright, producer, and actor, she has authored more than 30 plays and is a founding member of the Triangle Playwrights. She also served as the former artistic director of OdysseyStage, where she helped develop and produce new work by regional artists and co-created the popular NC 10x10 festival of short plays. Her direction here is fluid and thoughtful, guiding the script's shifts between humor, awkwardness, and emotional revelation with a steady hand.

The production features an exceptional cast, beginning with Abrams herself. She plays Naomi with a quirky boldness that many audience members will instantly recognize. One is never entirely sure whether Naomi is an exuberant free spirit, speaking uncomfortable truths, or a slightly unhinged middle-aged woman who may have wandered off her medication. Abrams skillfully balances both possibilities, creating a character whose vulnerability and confidence exist simultaneously.

Nicole Burgess, who is also a co-producer of the play, portrays Naomi's executive superior Melissa with convincing professionalism and restrained compassion. Her scenes -- particularly those punctuated by intermittent phone calls from her husband -- capture the quiet exasperation familiar to couples juggling work and family life.

Liz Howard, as Naomi's best friend Tamara, embodies the warmth and honesty of a long-standing friendship. Beneath her affection lies a subtle current of fear -- fear that Naomi's life may be moving in a direction that leaves her behind. Howard's performance gently reminds the audience what it's like to have a real friend.

Ellen B. Williams brings memorable comedic timing to the role of Naomi's mother, Barbara. Her performance borders on caricature, but never tips into excess. With precise delivery and just the right amount of accentuation, Williams captures the abrasive -- and, sometimes, hilarious -- honesty of a mother with her daughter.

Michael Parker provides some of the evening's most uncomfortable -- and entertaining -- moments as Steve, Naomi's first lover when he was her high school theater teacher and with whom she is beginning an affair. Parker leans fully into the cringe-worthy awkwardness of the situation, successfully eliciting the intended unease from the audience.

Meanwhile, David Berberian's portrayal of Caleb, a stranger whom Naomi meets in a New Jersey bar, perfectly captures the stereotypical frat-boy-turned-middle-aged man -- we all know the type -- the culmination of whose dreams is stability and companionship. The audience both identifies and feels sorry for him as he talks candidly with Naomi about both of their lives and desires.

The physical production is equally effective. The set is simple and impressively versatile: a large sofa bed, dressed with pillows and accessories that subtly transform to represent shifting locations, a couple of tables and a portable bar, and two folding screens that frame a projected "window" that alternates between the skylines of Los Angeles -- where Naomi lives -- and New Jersey -- where her mother resides. The design allows scenes to transition quickly and smoothly, without disrupting the play's momentum. Stage manager, lighting designer, and sound designer Nate Baker-Sample ensures that those transitions are seamless.

Though one hopes that this is only the beginning of a longer life for The First to Know, tonight marks the final opportunity to see this debut run in the Triangle. The show is nearly sold out, so get your tickets now for an entertaining evening of theater that is likely to linger long after the curtain falls.