Rose an elderly German-Jewish New Yorker has managed to scare away an array of caretakers with her overwhelming antics. That is until Lydia, her busy psychoanalyst daughter hires Winsome, an African American home care worker who proves to be Rose’s match. When Lydia realizes how close the two have become, she suspects Winsome of being a clever grifter, but are her suspicions based on truth, or merely produced by jealousy? 3W, 90 minutes.

“Dealing with an aging parent is difficult, and doubly so when the parent-child connection has frayed. That’s the central situation in Andrea Stolowitz’s heartbreaking new play.”

Don Braunagel, LA Times

“Stolowitz rises impressively to the occasion, with her unerring ear, depth of insight, and flair for humor and drama. Her intriguing charactersare beautifully brought to life.”

Pat Launer, KPBS San Diego (NPR)

“The three character drama fascinates. It’s a mystery, only you don’t realize it to the end.”

Jeff Smith, San Diego Reader

“...The strength of Knowing Cairo is the playwright's brave refusal to sugarcoat the issues and tough decisions that attend the subject.”

Paul Hodgins, The Orange Country Register

“[Stolowitz] digs deep into the complex realities of middle- and old-age relationships, and the burdens and responsibilities we have to each other.”

Pam Kragan, North County Times

Production History

World Premiere: The Old Globe. San Diego, CA. 2003
Mid-West Premiere: Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Chicago, Il. 2004.
Europe Premiere: The Everyman Theatre. Cork, Ireland. 2006.
Published: Playscripts Inc., 2006.