We're playwright Jillian Blevins and director Peter Sampieri. We're married theatre-makers raising funds for a workshop production of MORPHOLOGY, our new play about communication, parenthood, and Autism, at Boston Playwrights Theatre .

From the Playwright

Peter and I are parents to an Autistic child. I started to write this play after conversations with a fellow playwright (Dave Osmundsen , who writes from an Autistic perspective) about how communication between Autistic children and their parents can be a microcosm of the communication gap between all people who love each other but don’t “speak the same language”; how learning to truly listen is the ultimate expression of love. With great care, and consultation with Dave and other Autistic adults in my life, I wrote Morphology to explore the ways learning to communicate differently for my child has cracked me open and made me better.

The play had its first workshop in July of 2025 in New Hope, PA, mostly focused on script development. For this new workshop as part of BPT's inaugural Incubator program , I'm excited to work with Peter (a gifted puppeteer, movement director, and master of theatrical imagery and evocative staging) to explore the possibilities of this play by bringing the inner worlds of its characters to life. It's particularly meaningful to us to collaborate on a play inspired by our love for our son.

Why Now?

The “war on Autism” being waged by RFK’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative has unfortunately made the play increasingly relevant as misinformation about neurodivergence and institutionalized ableism have resurged. Morphology is in part about Autism acceptance. Now more than ever, it’s important to protect the autonomy of neurodivergent children and recognize both the challenges and gifts that they can possess.

Performance Dates

July 23 through July 26 at Boston Playwrights Theatre (949 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215)

Summary

Early 00’s. Nico, a nonverbal Autistic teenager, longs to be understood by his mother Claudia, a former academic who longs most for him to speak. When Claudia’s own mother Arlene intervenes and tries to convince Claudia to place Nico in a group home, their attempts to reach each other grow more desperate, Nico cries out to one creature he thinks might understand him, and their carefully balanced world starts coming undone. Written in a mix of verse and prose, MORPHOLOGY explores the power and inadequacy of language, what it means to know one another, and what we can learn from deep sea biology.

How your support helps

Your donations will help us to cover:

Space Rental at Boston Playwrights Theatre

Artist Pay (for actors, designers, and puppetry ensemble)

AEA Stage Manager

Materials (props, costumes, set pieces, puppets)