Westport Country Playhouse to host reading of new comedy The Next Best Thing

Westport Country Playhouse will present a Script in Hand playreading of the new comedy “The Next Best Thing” on Monday, September 14, at 7 p.m. The production is written by Redding, Connecticut native Matt Hoverman and directed by Mark Shanahan, the artistic director of the Playhouse and curator of the Script in Hand series.

The play centers on Jo, an outspoken 80-year-old woman whose primary goal is to pass her strength and ferocity down to her nine-year-old granddaughter. When her son John, an AI programmer, offers to build an android replica of her to remain after her death, Jo agrees to the plan to ensure her perspective stays behind.

However, when scanning her personality, John secretly alters the settings to produce a gentler, sanitized version of his mother instead of an exact copy. The optimized robot activates prematurely while Jo is still alive, leading to a conflict as Jo tries to oust the synthetic replica and restore her influence over her family.

Playwright Matt Hoverman is an Emmy, Humanitas Prize, and Norman Lear Sentinel Award winner known for his work in television animation and theater. His theatrical writing credits include “The Glint,” “Who You See Here,” and “Thrillsville,” alongside children’s television programming such as “Arthur,” “Curious George,” and “Fancy Nancy.”

Hoverman holds a BA in playwriting from Brown University and an MFA in acting from the University of California, San Diego. The upcoming reading serves as a celebration of new work at the Westport facility, with the cast for the performance set to be announced soon.

Event details

The Next Best Thing
Westport Country Playhouse • 25 Powers Ct, Westport, CT 06880
September 14, 2026
Click here to purchase tickets.

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Westport Country Playhouse to host reading of new comedy The Next Best Thing