3 out of 5 stars

It's a bold move to stage an intra-liberal political argument as a play, as author Matthew Freeman has done with "The Ask." It's even bolder to freight a character with explaining the tax rules governing a long-term contribution to the ACLU. Luckily, luminous stage-and-screen veteran Marilu Henner and "Stanger Things" actor Shannon Purser have the magnetism to wring surprising empathy, tension and even suspense from that limited material. As their generational clash over differing identity politics slowly becomes clearer and more intense, so do the power dynamics -- and their limits. But still, in the end, it's a staged political argument. — Adam Z. Horvath

At Theater 555, through Nov. 22, 2026; theaskplay.com.