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What’s wrong with 8-year-old Jesse? He raps, he swears, he’s in trouble at school. He is just too much. His distraught mother turns to the Internet, professionals and even well meaning neighbors seeking help. Some say the problem is Attention Deficit Disorder; others blame allergies. Where will she find the answer? With her provocative sense of humor, award-winning playwright Lisa Loomer gives us a new play that asks: Are we so tuned in to our info-rich, 24-7 world that we’ve tuned out the things that really matter. Strong language.

View a bibliography of playwright Lisa Loomer.

Play Synopsis

Trying to get 8-year-old Jesse ready for school is almost impossible. He doesn't want to get dressed and is more interested in finding his rocket launcher than eating breakfast. He doesn't want to go to school because he is scared that there will be a fire drill: He's terrified of the noise it makes.
Mama and Dad finally get him off to school, and Mama turns to her other job — finding a diagnosis for Jesse's "condition." Jesse's teacher, Mrs. Holly, is certain that Jesse has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and is fed up with his disruptions in her classroom. She wants him tested.
In her quest, Mama multi-tasks as she races from one professional to the other. She hopes that they will be able to "fix" Jesse. First she sees a child psychologist who observed Jesse at school and decided that he is "anxious." Then Mama meets with an educational neurophysiologist, followed by a homeopath, an allergist and a psychiatrist, who prescribes the medication, Ritalin, for Jesse. In the meantime, a behavior modification program with poker chips and points, a "basket" system categorizing Jesse's behaviors and a homeopathic remedy have all been suggested as viable treatments.
Dad is convinced that Jesse's behavior is simply a part of being a boy and that they should let him be. Despite Dad's protests, Mama starts Jesse on the Ritalin. Jesse becomes calmer and better behaved at school, but he walks through his life like a zombie. This is the last straw for Dad. He threatens he will divorce Mama and take custody of Jesse unless they take Jesse off the drugs.
As a last ditch effort, Mama convinces Dad that they should take Jesse to a special clinic in New Mexico. There, Dr. Karnes tells Mama and Dad that they have two choices: keep Jesse on Ritalin, or try an alternative diet and monitor the kinds of household cleaners and toiletries they use. The nurse at the clinic praises Jesse's imagination, energy and vocabulary and gives Mama and Dad the important reminder that Jesse really is a great kid.
Mama and Dad agree to follow Dr. Karnes's recommendations, and Mama promptly visits the health food store. Dad finally consents to also follow the diet. He begins to realize that it may be the "ADD" in each of us that makes us creative, spontaneous and adventurous—qualities in an Einstein, an Edison, a Belushi, a Robin Williams, and even in football.
In the final moments of the play, Mama completes her journey and makes a realization about what it is her son really needs.