Mom's Gift is a comedy by Phil Olson. It was first produced at the Lonny Chapman Group Repertory Theatre in Los Angeles, California, in December, 2013 directed by Sherry Netherland.
Mom has been dead for 11 months and shows up as a ghost at her widower's birthday party. Like Clarence in It's a Wonderful Life, she has a mission to accomplish. However, the nature of her mission is a mystery, even to her.
This play contains examples of:
- Adoption Diss: Played for laughs when Kat and Brittney accuse each other of being adopted. Mom groans, "Nobody was adopted," but of course, only Kat and the audience hear her.
- Barred from the Afterlife: Mom, until Kat can help her complete some unknown Unfinished Business.
- Brain Bleach: Mrs. Norquist, the neighbor, shows things to Kat and to Kevin that they'd rather forget.
- Brainless Beauty: Brittney is a Hooters Girl, and even Dad thinks she's helpless and needs someone to take care of her.
- Candid Camera Prank: Kat assumes that someone is punking her by projecting a hologram of Mom.
- Career-Ending Injury: Trish loved being an ER nurse, but switched to being a home care provider because she needed to avoid stress.
- Celestial Bureaucracy: According to Mom, "You don't want to be stuck in the system."
- Childhood Friend Romance: Kat and Kevin.
- Drunk Driver: The cause of the car accident that eventually led to Mom's death.
- Faint in Shock: Trish faints at the end of the first act when she accidentally overhears Dad telling his daughters that he wants to ask Trish to marry him. Mom faints at the same time.
- Friendly Ghost: Mom is cheerful, witty, and loving, and doesn't intend to scare or disturb Kat in any way.
- The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry: Kat is the smart older sister and Brittney is the beautiful younger sister.
- Horrible Judge of Character: Brittney cheerfully describes her boyfriend Manson as any father's worst nightmare: a tattooed ex-con who is much older than her, who works as a "custodial engineer", and whom she met at Hooters. Subverted when it turns out that she made up Manson in an attempt to manipulate Dad.
- Imaginary Friend: Kat had one as a child, and prefers to think of Mom as one now.
- I See Dead People: Kat is the only person who can see Mom. She is invisible to all the other characters.
- Karma Houdini: Kat describes the ending of the film It's a Wonderful Life as "irresponsible bankers" avoiding the consequences of (among other things) losing their customers' money.
- Liquid Courage: Kat drinks to get through what she expects to be a stressful day.
- Loving Bully: Kevin, towards Kat when they were children in school.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Brittney's business plan turns out to be brilliant and her brainless beauty act is just an act.
- Oblivious to Love: Kat, towards Kevin when they were children in school. She isn't much better at picking up on it as an adult.
- Parental Sexuality Squick: Kat and Brittney are uncomfortable with references to their parents' bedroom activities.
- Pink Elephants: Kat initially attributes seeing Mom to mixing scotch and antihistamines.
- Place Worse Than Death: Mom tells Kat that they might send her "down there, or worse, to New Jersey."
- Plain Jane: Kat, although She Cleans Up Nicely when she puts on one of Mom's old dresses and (at Brittney's insistence) a little makeup.
- Red Herring: A few, including some that imply that Trish (or her ex) might have been the Drunk Driver that caused the car accident.
- The Reveal: The second act concludes with several.
- Ruthless Modern Pirates: Kat's job is taking her to Somalia. Her family discusses ransom insurance and related topics.
- Sarcasm Mode: There's plenty to go around. For example, Kat asks Mom whether It's a Wonderful Life is the film about "irresponsible bankers" avoiding the consequences of (among other things) losing their customers' money, then claims to have never seen it.
- Shipper on Deck: Brittney tries to get Kat and Kevin together.
- Shout-Out: A few, including:
- Mom describes her situation as like Clarence in It's a Wonderful Life, where she has to complete a mission to "earn her wings". Later, at the end of the play, a bell rings.
- Seinfeld references include the "muffin tops" Brittney bakes and Mom's use of the phrase "yadda yadda yadda".
- Kat refers to the film Ghost (1990) when explaining to Dad what happened when Mom said goodbye to him.
- Survivor Guilt: Dad was driving at the time of the car accident, and blames himself for Mom's death.
- The Teetotaler: Trish refuses alcohol.
- Unfinished Business: Mom uses those exact words to explain why she's there.
- Unnamed Parent: Mom and Dad are never named.
- The Voice: Mrs. Norquist, the neighbor, is heard off stage, but is never seen.
- When You Coming Home, Dad?: Kat complains that Dad never came to her school events, the way he did for Brittney. Subverted when Mom's diary reveals that he did attend, but would sneak in the back. Dad explains that he did so because Kat had said that he embarrassed her.
