Los Angeles premiere of Dan Lauria’s ‘Just Another Day’
stars Lauria, Patty McCormack in different kind of love story

LOS ANGELES (July 21, 2025) — Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents the Los Angeles premiere of a joyous and deeply moving love story about the complex nature of aging. Following successful runs off-Broadway and in Ireland, Just Another Day, written by Dan Lauria (The Wonder Years, Sullivan and Son, Pitch) and starring Lauria alongside Patty McCormack (The Bad Seed), will run August 30 through September 28 at West L.A.’s Odyssey Theatre, with New York director Eric Krebs at the helm.

In this captivating romantic comedy that celebrates the resilience of love with hilarity, pathos and meaning, a couple in their seventies meet daily on a park bench to exchange wits and barbs, wax nostalgic about old movies — and to try to remember how they know, and love, one another.

“The characters are two former comedy writers who now have dementia, so every day they meet, they write comedy, and they fall in love again,” explains Lauria.

“I want the audience to understand that the creative spirit never dies,” he says. “All the other plays I’ve seen or read have to do with how the family deals with dementia. This is the only play on this subject I know of that is not about the family or the hospital conditions. This play is about the creative spirit that lives on no matter what.”

Just Another Day had its New York City premiere at off-Broadway’s Theatre 555 in a production produced and directed by Krebs, then traveled to Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, where it will return in October. Reviewing an earlier production at Great Barrington Public Theater in Massachusetts, The Boston Globe wrote, “At first glance, ‘Just Another Day’ exudes a poignant sense of loss. But within moments, playwright Dan Lauria shifts to joy — celebrating relationships, the pleasure of creativity, and the hope that laughter brings — for a play that is both tender and uplifting.”

Just Another Day features original music by Lord Graham Russell (Air Supply). Pete Hickok, designs the set at the Odyssey, based on an original design by Christopher Swader and Justin Swader, and Michael Blendermann is the lighting designer. Video and sound are designed by Lauria. The stage manager is Katie Chabot. Beth Hogan produces for Odyssey Theatre Ensemble.

Dan Lauria, best known as the Dad on the hit television series The Wonder Years, has starred, recurred and guest-starred in over 70 television episodic programs, as well as in more than 20 movie of the week productions and a score of feature films. He has performed, written or directed over 50 professional stage productions. On Broadway, he starred as legendary coach Vince Lombardi opposite Judith Light in Lombardi, as well as in the Tony nominated A Christmas Story: The Musical for two years running. He co-created the Durango Play Festival with Wendie Malick, with whom he has also performed the play The Guys, a tribute to the brave firefighters who died on 9/11, as a fundraiser for veterans and firefighting organizations, The two currently perform Love Letters around the country as a fundraiser for environmental organizations and to support the development of new plays at regional theaters.

Audiences will recognize Patty McCormack from her more than seven decades of stage, screen and television appearances: from her Oscar and Golden Globe nominated performance at age eight in The Bad Seed, to work in the Oscar and Golden Globe nominated Frost/Nixon (as Pat Nixon) and The Master; to starring in her own television series Peck’s Bad Girl, to creating memorable characters on television favorites from Dallas to the The Sopranos. On stage, she has appeared in productions of Wait Until Dark, Under The Yum Yum Tree, Rod Serling’s Storm In Summer, Neil Simon’s Barefoot In The Park, Time Of The Cuckoo with Jean Stapleton, Lillian Hellman’s Another Part Of The Forest, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof directed by Jose Quintero, Hands Of It’s Enemy with Richard Dreyfuss, Hollywood Ever After, What I Did For Love, Ladies Of The Corridor and Miserable With An Ocean View, just to name a few, as well as in national tours of Neil Simon’s Rumors and Wendy Wasserstein’s The Sisters Rosensweig. More recently, she returned to the stage in New York City starring in Mornings at Seven, and starred in House Of Deadly Secrets for Netflix as well as Christmas In Evergreen: Tidings Of Joy and Always Amore for Hallmark. McCormack also made special appearances as “Dr. March” in Rob Lowe’s adaptation of The Bad Seed for Lifetime and its sequel, The Bad Seed Returns.

Eric Krebs has worked as a producer, theater founder and operator, college professor, and, occasionally, as a performer for over 50 years. In 1974, he founded the George Street Playhouse, a regional theater in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He built and operated off-Broadway’s John Houseman Theater Center and Douglas Fairbanks Theater for over 20 years. Most recently, he renovated and became the operator of a 160-seat off-Broadway theater, reopening it as Theater 555. In addition to producing more than 50 plays and musicals off-Broadway, his on-Broadway producing credits include Bill Maher: Victory Begins At Home (Tony nomination for Best Special Theatrical Event); Neil Simon’s The Dinner Party; It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues (nominated for four Tony Awards including best musical); and Electra (nominated for three Tony Awards). In the fall of 2016, he performed My Father’s Voice, a solo presentation of his father’s letters from the Ellis Island Prison and the War in the Pacific during the years 1938-1945. Mr. Krebs recently retired after 50 years as a professor of theater arts at Baruch College, City University of New York, where he continued a career as an educator that began in 1969 at Rutgers University in New Jersey, where he is professor emeritus.

Founded in 1969 by Ron Sossi, a pioneer in the intimate theater movement who remained at the company’s helm for 56 years until his recent death on March 19 at the age of 85, the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble is one of Los Angeles’ most adventurous companies, offering world-class live theater experiences in its three-theater complex.

Performances of Just Another Day take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. from August 30 through September 28, with one preview set for Friday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. There will be two additional weeknight performances, on Wednesday, Sept. 17 and Wednesday, Sept. 24, each at 8 p.m.

The Odyssey Theatre is located at 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles, 90025. Tickets range from $20 to $43. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (310) 477-2055 or go to OdysseyTheatre.com.

Details for Calendar Listings
‘Just Another Day’

WHAT:
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents the Los Angeles premiere of Just Another Day, a joyous and deeply moving love story about the complex nature of aging. In this captivating romantic comedy that celebrates the resilience of love with hilarity, pathos and meaning, playwright Dan Lauria (The Wonder Years, Sullivan and Son, Pitch) stars alongside Patty McCormack (The Bad Seed) as a couple in their seventies who meet daily on a park bench to exchange wits and barbs, wax nostalgic about old movies — and to try to remember how they know, and love, one another.

WHO:
• Written by Dan Lauria
• Starring Dan Lauria and Patty McCormack
• Directed by Eric Krebs
• Original Music by Lord Graham Russell (Air Supply)
• Original Scenic Design by Christopher Swader and Justin Swader
• Odyssey Scenic Design by Peter Hickok
• Lighting Design by Michael Blendermann
• Video and Sound Design by Dan Lauria
• Stage Manager Katie Chabot
• Produced by Beth Hogan
• Presented by Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Beth Hogan, acting artistic director

WHEN:
Aug. 29 through Sept. 28
• Preview: Friday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m.
• Performances: Aug. 30 through Sept. 28: Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., plus Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m.

WHERE:
Odyssey Theatre
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90025

TICKET PRICES:
$20-$43 (including fees)

HOW:
OdysseyTheatre.com
(310) 477-2055 ext. 2

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