The question of what it means to be a “good person” lies at the heart of Flashback Theater Co.’s (FbTC) upcoming production of When We Get Good Again by John McLindon, directed by Billy Christopher Maupin. Mark your calendars now to experience this cozy, personal play running February 20-23, 2025 at the FbTC offices at 209A East Mt. Vernon St. As part of Flashback’s “Fringe” series, the play will have three late performances at 8:30 p.m., giving audiences time to get dinner or drinks with friends before the performance. If late night isn’t your style, not to worry; there will be two matinee performances at 2:30 p.m. Cumberland Roots Coffee will be selling coffee outside of the venue on select dates.

In a world built on inequity, how do you define personal morality? Across the country, college students enter programs of study that promise to push them into high paying careers and bright futures. But when we consider the unique backgrounds of each student, it becomes clear that there are barriers to success. Students who struggle to hold down a job and pay their way through school are hardly on the same playing field as students who receive economic support from wealthy families. Is it wrong for students to play the system that’s playing them?

The play’s story focuses on Tracy, a brilliant but poor student trying to rationalize her job writing wealthier students’ term papers. Along the way, she makes friends with other students and realizes that nobody’s choices are cut and dry. 

“Audiences are sure to see themselves, at least in some aspect, in at least one of these characters,” says director Billy Christopher Maupin. “While these characters exist in a college environment, they’re grappling with ideas and challenges that we all face. Right and wrong isn’t always so black and white – which seems to become more and more apparent these days. Finding our way in the world and simply seeking to be a good person is something that, hopefully, each of us continues to do every day. We might find glimpses of our past selves in these characters…or even a glimpse of ourselves in the parking lot earlier today.”

To capture the intimate coffee shop setting of the play, FbTC will transform their downtown office space into a cozy cafe, with seating for a couple dozen lucky audience members every night. Additionally, Cumberland Roots Coffee will be setting up their local mobile coffee cafe outside of the theater at the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performances of the show, so you can enjoy a beverage while you watch the show.

“Being in the new Flashback office space (formerly Wandering Elm Photography and Downtown Diva boutique), affords us the opportunity to bring the audience into this world with us,” says Maupin. “For instance, surrounding the audience with elements of the set as if they are customers right along with the characters.”

In this up close and personal space, audiences can expect to see more natural performances from actors. The small cast of performers includes Flashback mainstays Bailey Patterson (Tracy) and Thomas Alvey (Perry), alongside younger performers Jillian Griffin (Roy) and Frosina Bogeska (Nadiya). The understudy cast, who will perform in the matinee on Saturday the 22nd, consists of Ruby Harrison (Tracy u/s), Sam Enderle (Perry u/s), John Langford (Roy u/s), and Jaycee Daulton (Nadiya u/s). The production team includes Billy Christopher Maupin (Director), Renate Dopp (Stage Manager), and Sommer Schoch (Set/Costume/Lighting Designer).

Each year, Flashback Theater Co. chooses a play to produce as part of its Fringe series. Set apart from normal Mainstage offerings, a Fringe production is generally aimed at a more adult audience, and may contain more mature language and content. Director Maupin adds, “The audience can expect to be more challenged and led to examine things more deeply when experiencing a Fringe production. I’m not saying you’re going to squirm a little bit (at least emotionally and intellectually), but you just might!”

Unlike other stories that might offer you solutions, Maupin notes that he hopes audiences will leave the theater with questions that can guide them through the next day…week…or even year: “There’s a lot of hope in this play, but also a lot of questions. We aren’t given pat answers to all these questions either. They are left open for us to ponder. The audience won’t leave with a lot of answers of affirmed previous beliefs, but might take away some new insights of quandaries.” Every good story leaves you with a message to mull over for yourself, and When We Get Good Again is no exception. 

Production Information

When We Get Good Again
By James McLindon
Directed by Billy Christopher Maupin
February 20-23, 2025
209 E. Mt Vernon St. Suite A Somerset, Kentucky

Poor but brilliant college student Tracy needs straight A’s to get into a top law school that will forgive her mountain of academic debt so she can be a lawyer for the poor. With the economic odds stacked against her, she tries to rationalize her job writing term papers for wealthy students. But she’s not sure she can do it. When We Get Good Again explores the current age in which personal integrity seems to be eroding before our eyes, and each day seems to bring new headlines about politicians who lie as naturally as they breathe and parents who buy their child’s admission into the college of their choice. In a world of privilege and deprivation, is it still immoral to cheat in order to level a playing field that is already supposed to be flat?

Performance Dates and Times

Thursday, February 20th, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, February 21st, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 22nd, 2:30 p.m.*
Saturday, February 22nd, 8:30 p.m
Sunday, February 23rd, 8:30 p.m

*Denotes Understudy Performance

Ticket Information

Tickets can be purchased online at:https://fbtc.ticketleap.com/good-again/, by visiting the box office in person at 209A E Mount Vernon St. during office hours, or by calling the box office at (888) 394-3282, ext. 1. Box office hours are Tuesday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

Single ticket pricing for the 11th Season of Flashback productions will be:

Adults – $23 Advance, $25 Door
Students – $12 Advance, $15 Door
Seniors – $20 Advance and Door

Season Sponsors & Supporters

Flashback Theater Co. is grateful to our 2024-25 Starlight Sponsors: Applied Behavioral Advancements, The City of Somerset, Kentucky Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet, and The Shubert Foundation. Spotlight Sponsors: M&W Printing and CHI Saint Joseph London; as well as our Footlight Sponsors: David Daring Rentals, Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital & Lake Cumberland Residency Programs, First & Farmers National Bank, The Weigel Family, United Cumberland Bank, T. Ronald Kidd Trust, Somerset Community College, Buffalo Wings & Rings, and Citizens National Bank.

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides operating support to Flashback Theater Co. with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

When We Get Good Again is produced with support from design sponsor Alton Blakley Family of Dealerships.