Director Larry Stock goes over the production of “Absence” with Amy Cannard, who plays Barb, the daughter of Helen and David Bastions.

What are we but our memories?

Take them away and what is left?

That's the question confronting the characters in “Absence,” a play running next weekend at Succop Theater at Butler County Community College.

“Absence” is being produced by Newhaven Court at Clearview, 100 Newhaven Lane.

The play centers on the life of 74-year-old Helen Bastion. She begins to suffer lapses in memory, her reality begins to fragment and her sense of self dissolves as her dementia advances. It has special significance for the play's director, Larry Stock, the Cultural Center director at BC3.

“My mother (a Newhaven Court resident) has some memory issues, a touch of dementia from time to time,” he said. “There are memory loops she keeps repeating. This is all a part of this.

Stock's is the third production of “Absence” mounted under the umbrella of the Wexford-based IntegraCare, Newhaven Court's parent company.

“There are some comedic moments in the show. It presents Alzheimer's humanely and realistically. And it provides catharsis that allows people to deal with this by seeing how other people dealt with this,” Stock said.

Usually he works with the BC3 Pioneer Players or the Butler Musical Theater Guild, but for “Absence” he assembled a his own group of local acting veterans. Nedra and Dennis Casey, theater veterans of 50 years or more were chosen: Nedra Casey to play the afflicted Helen Bastion and Dennis Casey to play Dr. Bright. Jerry Johnston portrays Helen's husband, David; Amy Cannard plays the Bastions' daughter, Barb, and Gabby Lisella is the Bastions' granddaughter, Samantha. Rounding out the six-person cast is Janie Caruso, who is a doctor in the first act and a facility director in the second act.

Stock said the cast and crew is putting on the production without pay and all proceeds from the performances will go the local Alzheimer's Association chapter.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for students and seniors.

Read more about the upcoming show in Sunday's Butler Eagle.