Rachael Chapin Longo first read “Breadcrumbs” during the pandemic’s early days, searching for one- or two-person plays for theatre KAPOW to livestream.

She was intrigued by Jennifer Haley’s script, which tells of a reclusive fiction writer, Alida, who is diagnosed with dementia and must depend on a caretaker, Beth, to finish her autobiography.

Longo had lost two grandparents to dementia and Alzheimer’s, and the heartbreak of the disease resonated with her. But there was something mystical about this story as well, exploring the space between the real world and Alida’s interpretation of it.

“I was drawn to the description and the idea of this loss of identity. The story also has a sort of fantasy, dreamlike quality about it. There are a lot of fairy tales woven through the story,” Longo said via phone.

In the end, company members chose to produce a different two-hander to livestream in 2021 — Gidion’s Knot by Johnna Adams — but kept this play on the backburner, tabling it until now to coincide with its 2022-2023 season theme, “Recent, Remote, Remember.”

Rehearsals began in theatre KAPOW’s Manchester studio about six weeks ago, and this weekend, the company presents its rendition of Haley’s Breadcrumbs, directed by Catherine Stewart and featuring Katie Collins as Alida and Longo as Beth/Mother/Witch, atop the Bank of NH Stage.

The play moves between memories, dreams, and reality, requiring theatrical acrobatics from the cast, crew, and design team. A digital screen onstage helps tell the story, as do the costumes, which hint at the world but are quickly changeable. Longo uses props to transition between her many roles. Her character Beth carries a large handbag; Mother wears sparkly high heels and holds a cigarette or martini; and Alida’s witch wears a clear mask, turning her face into an indeterminable blur.

“One of the characters is experiencing memory loss. We move in between what memories are, what dreams are; what’s real, what’s not. Something like that is always intriguing to try and stage,” Stewart said via phone. “Breadcrumbs allows the creative team to really flex their muscles.”

Collins says she loves working with theatre KAPOW because they “never go for literal,” and that what transpires onstage will be unexpected and magical. Her own character, Alida, was also a major draw for the actress. As a creative person herself, Collins loves that Alida is a writer.

“If you say the word ‘tree,’ I don’t think of an image of a tree – I think of the word, T-R-E-E,” Collins said. “This is the story of a woman whose whole life has been finding the right words for her work in telling stories. What happens when those words are gone? When the thing that is most central to her as a person, is gone? I find it really heartbreaking, and I wanted to explore that.”

Longo and Collins have worked together before, most recently in KAPOW’s winter 2022 production, Dance Nation, and they wasted no time jumping into the complexities of this play, meeting three nights a week for read-throughs, tablework, and discussions about the characters. Who were these women? Why did Beth seek such a sudden interest in Alida as a writer? And why does Alida continue to allow her to keep coming into her life?

“Working with Rachael and Katie, there’s a great deal of vulnerability and fearlessness with which they’re approaching the roles that I really admire. It’s quite something. When you watch people put themselves out there to get at something entertaining and interesting, it’s really quite inspiring,” Stewart said. “Leaving rehearsals, I always feel quite enriched.”

In her day job, Collins is the director of development at the Capitol Center for the Arts, so this role is especially fun for her, coming back to the space as a performer, on the “other side of the lights.”

“It’s a space I’m very proud of, having been part of the team to raise the money to make it happen,” Collins said. “There are amenities you don’t see in older spaces I’ve worked in as an actor. I love the intimacy of it, how close the audience can be.”

This weekend, theatre KAPOW presents Breadcrumbs on the Bank of NH Stage in Concord on Friday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 19, at 2 p.m. The 2 p.m. matinee show will be followed by a discussion led by representatives from community organizations about dealing with Alzheimer’s and the different resources available. Tickets are $33.75, available at ccanh.com.

There will also be live-streamed performances from theatre KAPOW’s studio on Friday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. Visit tkapow.com for more information.

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