"Daddyland" staged reading

From the venue:

Chloe Kay and Samantha Binkerd, Atlanta-based actors, have joined forces to produce Daddyland: a coming-of-age story about Kay’s complex relationship with her father as she grows into womanhood. Written by Kay and directed by Binkerd, the play will debut as a staged reading—July 17 and 18—at Windmill Arts Center. Female owned production company IT ALL MEDIA has signed on as executive producers.

A solo show, Daddyland features Kay as the sole actor, performing pivotal vignettes from her upbringing that shaped her understanding of sex, womanhood and, most importantly, her father—whose problematic behavior shatters Kay’s sense of security.

“My relationship to my father was really central to how I understood myself for a long time,” says Kay.  “How I thought the world worked, particularly in regards to men and women, was through my dad’s eyes.”

However, Kay eventually discovers—as will the audience—that her father’s charming personas lead to betrayal and upset. Shoes drop, promises are broken, and she’s forced to traverse a reality that suddenly feels foreign. 

“My dad’s stories caught up with him, and it turned my family’s life upside down,” says Kay. “I was so disoriented, I started writing the play as a way of putting together the pieces—a therapeutic effort to re-working how I understood myself.”

In between scenes, Kay also performs and sings her own songs on an acoustic guitar—a Greek chorus of sorts that establishes a theme of self reflection as she examines the impact of her father’s choices. This daring kind of introspection struck a chord with Binkerd, a friend of Kay’s since college, who feels especially bonded as Daddyland’s director. 

“There were many moments I had to pause to cry,” says Binkerd, describing her first read-over of Daddyland. “It brought up a lot of questions in my own raising, and what I’m sure we all experience as adults, which is what lessons were we taught that need to be unlearned.”

With Binkerd in the director’s chair, Kay shows what it takes for a young woman to reclaim her voice after grappling with misogyny, deceit and family skeletons. She confronts relationships that no longer serve her, learning to break free from the past. 

Though told through a feminist lense, Daddyland is sure to resonate with anyone who’s familiar with parent-child conflict—an experience felt by most families.

“There are definitely some very female-specific aspects to my experience, but I think that most people can relate to contending with their own parents’ humanity and flaws,” explains Kay. “I hope people walk away with questions and conversations to have with their loved ones.”

An independent play, Daddyland will rely upon sponsorships and crowdfunding to support its production. Anyone who’d like to contribute to the show’s funding can reach out to Chloe Kay at: daddylandshow@gmail.com