Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol famously begins with “Marley was dead: to begin with,” setting up the possibility of supernatural shenanigans from the jump. In The One Good Thing – or “Are Ya Patrick Swayze?,” the audience learns early on that one character is a ghost. While not the same as the Dickens ghost story, there are still lessons to be learned from the afterlife.
In this two-actor play by Joe Bravaco, now enjoying its U.S. premiere at Washington Stage Guild, Jamie is the ghost, and his brother, Tommy, is not convinced he has crossed over. What follows from this fantastical premise shows the two siblings work out their differences and find common ground.
Bravaco’s charming script comes to life with whimsy and heart, while never dipping into sentimentality, as the siblings chat, argue, cajole, goad, and confess all manner of truths over the 90-minute running time. Stage Guild associate artistic director Steven Carpenter uses a light but precise touch overseeing the staging and direction, allowing his two actors to inhabit the vivid characters and connect to each other in a very real manner.
Aiding the director in the success of The One Good Thing, Brandon Roak’s scenic design provides both the cozy cottage and seaside cliffs of Enniskeel, which are all skillfully lit by Marianne Meadows’ lighting design.
Over the course of the two-hander, the audience learns quite a bit about each brother and their situations. Ryan Michael Neely, as Jamie, brings a charm and a quick wit to the table, showing not only Jamie’s haunted nature, but his melancholic side, still holding guilt for their mother’s passing. As his sometimes-uptight sibling, Chris Stinson brings a definite contrast to his characterization of the incredulous Tommy. Neely and Stinson masterfully navigate the dialogue, emotional journeys, and revelations between the brothers. And since the play is set in a picturesque, gardener’s cottage on the cliffs of Ireland, the two actors immerse the audience in their thick and effortless brogues. Throughout the two acts, and the span of a few years, Jamie settles into the afterlife, including a ghostly romance, and Tommy’s earthly life with his wife and growing family percolates in the background, while the brothers continue to grow in their strong family bonds.
According to the playwright’s notes, the play is personal, examining how we cope with the loss of family members. Bravaco credits a specific piece of music “I’ll Be Singing,” as a starting point for his script. “The play came to me after listening to a beautiful song sung by Sinead O’Connor. The music by Amelia Warner has an ethereal feeling and the John Patrick Shanley lyrics seemed to me to reflect a calling to the afterlife.”
The outcome is truly that simple: a play about love, loss, this life and the afterlife, and the small moments that mean huge connections between family members. This production allows the play to work its magic, which is no small feat.
Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes, including one 10-minute intermission.
The One Good Thing – or “Are Ya’ Patrick Swayze?” plays through October 19, 2025, presented by Washington Stage Guild, performing at The Undercroft Theatre at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC. All tickets are general admission and $60. Students and groups of 10 or more pay $30 each, and seniors pay $50. To purchase tickets, click online. Performances are Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday at 8 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM and 8 PM; and Sunday at 2:30 PM
Post-show discussion: October 18, following the Saturday matinee.
COVID Safety: Masks are recommended (not required). Washington Stage Guild’s complete Health and Safety Policy is here.
The One Good Thing – or “Are Ya’ Patrick Swayze?”
A U.S. premiere by Joe Bravaso
CAST
Jamie: Ryan Michael Neely
Tommy: Chris Stinson
CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Steven Carpenter
Scenic Designer: Brandon Roak
Costume Designer: Lily Komarow
Lighting Designer: Marianne Meadows
Sound Designer: David Bryan Jackson
Stage Manager: Davis Elias
Assistant Stage Manager: Luca Maggs
SEE ALSO: Steven Carpenter on rehearsing the U.S. premiere of ‘The One Good Thing’ at Washington Stage Guild (interview by Ravelle Brickman, September 18, 2025)
