Stephen Adly Guirgis’s 2015 Pulitzer Prize–winning play, Between Riverside and Crazy, opened at 1st Stage in Tyson’s, Virginia, this past weekend. I went to 1st Stage expecting a great performance, but I wasn’t prepared for how deeply this show affected me.
The drama, complete with Guirgis’s well-known “street-poetic” dialogue, is directed by José Carrasquillo. The story centers on Walter “Pops” Washington, a retired Black New York City police officer and widower. Years prior, while off-duty and at an after-hours club, Walter was shot six times by a white rookie cop. Walter has spent the intervening years refusing to settle his lawsuit against the NYPD, demanding a full apology and an admission of racial bias that the department is unwilling to give.
Addison Switzer plays “Pops,” bringing a stubborn, beautiful dignity to the role that makes you root for him even when he is in the wrong. Walter is far from perfect, but he has a kind heart and a genuine soul, which shines throughout the production as the audience sees him provide judgment-free encouragement and support to the three young miscreants living under his roof.
The action plays out in a single-room set designed by Tony Cisek. Stacks of furniture, books, and appliances make up the walls of the cramped rent-controlled apartment in New York City, creating the vibe of a busy, lived-in home where people have loved, struggled, and sometimes survived.
Shawn Sebastian Naar is Walter’s son, Junior, whose criminal record becomes a pawn in the department’s legal games. Dylan Arredondo plays Oswaldo, a recovering drug addict, and Hannah Taylor portrays Junior’s girlfriend, Lulu. Each of them affectionately refers to Walter as “Pops.” Naar captures Junior’s vulnerability, while Taylor (Lulu) and Arredondo (Oswaldo) add layers of humanity and kinetic energy to the household, rounding out a family unit built on loyalty and survival.
The tension ramps up when Walter’s former partner, Detective O’Connor (Ellis Greer), and her fiancé, Lieutenant Caro (Chris Genebach), pay him a visit. Under the guise of a friendly dinner, their true motive is to pressure Walter into settling his lawsuit. The NYPD wants the PR nightmare to go away, and they are willing to use Walter’s illegal subletting and Junior’s criminal record as leverage to evict him if he doesn’t sign.
The scene that ensues among Greer, Genebach, and Switzer is palpably tense and mesmerizing to watch. Switzer dextrously navigates the internal battle between Walter’s hardened exterior and internal vulnerability. Each character in the scene is deeply flawed, dealing with their own internal conflict, and neither good nor evil. It is simply raw and real: demonstrating a need to survive, perhaps even thrive, at the expense of morals and a touch of betrayal, in a system set up for most to fail.
Fabiolla Da Silva makes a notable and pivotable appearance as the Church Lady, whose unpredictable behavior serves as a vital catalyst in the play’s narrative. Da Silva and Switzer’s interaction is hilariously weird and wild, but awakens a part of Walter’s spirit that he thought was lost forever, extinguished by years of personal and professional struggle. The Church Lady injects a layer of unexpected depth and spiritual-yet-worldly challenge into Walter’s confined existence, forcing him to confront buried emotions and rekindle his engagement with life outside the immediate confines of his home.
Between Riverside and Crazy doesn’t offer simple answers on race or policing, but instead portrays a man who refuses to be silenced or moved. The dialogue is foul-mouthed, fast-paced, and deeply human, reflecting the realities of the world.
The play’s exploration of loss and community, however, is unexpectedly mirrored by a highly personal moment before the performance began.
1st Stage dedicated their production of Between Riverside and Crazy to the memory of William T. Newman Jr, whose recent passing came unexpectedly while rehearsing the role of Walter “Pops” Washington. At the top of the show, the audience was asked to stand and deliver a final round of applause to the empty stage in what was a beautiful shared moment of the recognition of loss and love. That tribute cast a beautiful, poignant light over the entire evening, making the themes of struggle and resilience feel even more immediate. It’s rare to be in a theater where the connection between the actors and the audience feels that intimate and sincere. It was a deeply moving experience that I won’t forget anytime soon.
Running Time: Approximately two hours, with one 15-minute intermission.
Between Riverside and Crazy plays through March 15, 2026 at 1st Stage, at 1524 Spring Hill Road, Tysons, VA. General admission tickets are $55, with a limited availability at $40 and $25, and student, educator, and military tickets are $15. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling (703) 854-1856.
Between Riverside and Crazy
By Stephen Adly Guirgis
CAST
Walter “Pops” Washington: Addison Switzer; Junior: Shawn Sebastian Naar; Lulu: Hannah Taylor; Oswaldo: Dylan Arredondo; Det. Audrey O’Connor: Ellis Greer; Lt. Caro: Chris Genebach; Church Lady: Fabiolla Da Silva; Junior U/S: Marvin Brown; Lulu U/S: Day Ajose; Det. Audrey O’Connor U/S: Allison McAlister; Lt. Caro U/S: Matthew Sparacino; Church Lady U/S: Natalia Fyfe
CREATIVE TEAM
Director: José Carrasquillo; Stage Manager: Sarah Usary; Scenic Designer: Tony Cisek; Lighting Designer: William D’Eugenio; Sound Designer: Sarah O’Halloran; Costume Designer: Moyenda Kulemeka; Props Designer: Justin Nepomuceno; Intimacy Coordinator: Lorraine Ressegger-Slone; Artistic Director: Alex Levy; Associate Artistic Director: Deidre Lawan Starnes; Assistant Stage Manager: Rah Matthews
