The Cry of the Butterfly

 The Cry of the Butterfly
Theater for the New City
February 6, 2026 

Photo courtesy of Cry of the Butterfly

The Cry of the Butterfly is a beautifully written play by Nicca Ray.  It is full of raw emotion and stark reality.  Ms. Ray bravely tells the Hollywood story of her mother and father, their addictions, their infidelities, and their emotional inaccessibility.  Director Joe John Battista stages powerful cinematic moments that illustrate the relationships and heighten the emotional impact of story.  The cast skillfully portrays complex characters, who are suffering and searching for love and understanding. 

The play opens as a Podcast Host (played by Roger Gonzalez) is interviewing Nicca Ray (played by Mari Blake).  She has just published her book, Ray by Ray, which tells the story of her father and movie director Nicholas Ray (played by Tom Martin).  When the Podcast Host shifts his questions to a highly personal nature, Nicca refuses to answer and walks out.  This brings us back to the day her sister, Julie (played by Alexandra Laliberte), flew her across the country to celebrate the birthday of their mother, Betty (played by Penny Balfour).  Her daughters are concerned about their mother’s trance-like moments and emotional outbursts, but not having been together for a number of years, they push through as best they can.  All three women face their demons, but Betty has the roughest time.  The affair her husband had with James Dean (played by Michael John Gross) during the filming of Rebel Without a Cause created a severe rift in their marriage.  Nicholas never recovered from the sudden death of James Dean, which Betty has never fully accepted.  She faces this with urgency, as it is revealed that she recently received a diagnosis of terminal cancer. 

Alexandra Laliberte, Penny Balfour, & Mari Blake
Photo courtesy of The Cry of the Butterfly

Penny Balfour captures the essence of legendary movie star glamour as Betty.  She carries herself with grace, yet has a piercing directness.  Her ability to gloss over her daughter’s emotional experiences is juxtaposed by her skill at deeply cutting them down.  Mari Blake portrays Nicca with a stamina that comes from years of introspection and recovery.  Even though Betty pushes her buttons, she regains her strength and bounces back.  Alexandra Laliberte plays Julie with drive and moxie.  She has been witnessing her mother’s declining mental and physical health, and put great effort into bringing her sister in for this much-needed visit.  These three women are survivors, determined to keep moving, and these three actors portray them with grit and vigor.  Their scenes together are a constant battle for power, yet they each take on the role of caregiver when one of them is knocked down. 

Tom Martin, Michael John Gross, & Penny Balfour
Photo courtesy of The Cry of the Butterfly

Michael John Gross’ physical and vocal portrayal of James Dean is spot on.  His scenes with Penny Balfour are strong and impactful.  The stakes are high, the conflict is strong, and their connection is visceral.  Tom Martin plays Nicholas Ray with sleek elegance.  You can feel the power he has over Betty, and the love she feels for him.  It is ethereal and borderline psychotic.

The tone is set in the opening scene by Roger Gonzalez as the Podcast Host.  The audience expects the brutal truth, and that is exactly what is delivered.  The scenes between the three women are beautifully written and skillfully directed.  You can feel the isolation they are each experiencing as they relive their memories and try to connect.  They are all present in the room together, yet emotionally separate, incredibly alone, and yearning for connection. 

The Cry of the Butterfly is playing at Theater for the New City through February 22.  It is a uniquely structured and carefully crafted telling of a highly personal story. 

Domenick Danza