Mother, Daughter Share the Stage in Rare, Meaningful Pairing
inD Theatre Presents the Wryly Funny Drama Circle Mirror Transformation

Bainbridge Island, WA — inD Theatre opens its newest production, Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker, on February 27, bringing audiences into the quiet, revelatory, often humorous world of a community-center acting class—and offering a uniquely moving real-life connection on stage. For the first time, Amy Jo LaRubbio and her daughter Zoe LaRubbio appear together in a semi-professional play, portraying acting teacher Marty and reserved teenager Lauren, respectively.

Directed by Ken Michels, Circle Mirror Transformation runs February 27 – March 14 at 7:00 PM, with a Sunday matinee on March 15 at 3:00 PM, at Rolling Bay Hall on Bainbridge Island. Admission is free, with reservations strongly encouraged.

For Amy Jo and Zoe LaRubbio, the production is more than a play—it’s a deeply personal experience that mirrors (so to speak) the show’s themes of growth, vulnerability, and connection across generations.
“Sharing the stage with Zoe is a truly special experience,” said Amy Jo LaRubbio, who portrays the earnest, unconventional acting teacher. “The supportive, professional environment Ken and the cast have created allows us to explore Marty and Lauren’s relationship as peers, both in rehearsal and beyond.”

Zoe LaRubbio, who plays the introspective teenage student Lauren, echoed that sentiment. “Working on this production with my mom is such a joy,” she said. “Our existing relationship creates a safe space that allows me to explore Lauren more fully and bring depth beyond the stereotype of a moody teenager.”

Circle Mirror Transformation places five strangers in a modest, windowless room in a Vermont community center, where they gather for a six-week acting class. Through theater games, awkward silences, and moments of unexpected honesty and comedy, the participants—Marty, Lauren, Schultz (T. Ivan Winkler), Theresa (Josi Twigt), and James (Matt Eldridge)—slowly reveal their inner lives. What begins as a simple class evolves into a tender exploration of human connection and the subtle ways people change when they are truly seen.

Director Ken Michels sees the mother-daughter casting as an organic extension of the play’s emotional core. “I love the dynamic Amy Jo and Zoe bring to the room and the sense of comfort this talented cast has created,” Michels said. “The fun we have together is contagious. There’s an ease that lets us fully inhabit the dramatic moments while allowing the comedy to emerge naturally.”

Annie Baker’s Circle Mirror Transformation has been widely celebrated since its premiere, earning the 2010 Obie Award for Best New American Play and recognition for its ensemble and direction. Critics have praised the work as “absorbing, unblinking and sharply funny” (The New York Times), noting how its silences and small moments linger long after the final blackout. Michels emphasized that Baker’s silences are intentional and powerful, “Much as John Cleese has often observed that comedy lives in timing and the space left for the audience to respond.”

inD Theatre’s production continues the nonprofit’s mission to make theatre accessible, inclusive, and socially engaged. A Seattle-area, semi-professional company, inD Theatre pays stipends to artists and offers free admission to all performances, removing financial barriers for actors and audiences alike.

Circle Mirror Transformation contains mature content and language and may not be appropriate for young audiences. A Social Narrative is available at indtheatre.org/social-narrative for patrons who would like to know what to expect before attending.

Performance Details:
📍 Rolling Bay Hall
📅 February 27 – March 14 at 7:00 PM
📅 March 15 at 3:00 PM
🎟 Free admission | Reservations recommended
🔗 Reserve seats at indtheatre.org

CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection.