I thought this play (written, and originally performed, by Mo Gaffney & the amazing Cathy Najimy) was hilarious when I first saw it during the summer of 1994 or 1995 in the black box at the theatre where I was an intern. It was groundbreaking then---dealing with abortion rights, coming out, age & race relations, and feminism in ways both funny and poignant (but mostly funny)---and still made me laugh when I saw it again last night.
Times have changed, however (for the better in terms of acceptance of sexual orientation), and parts of the play didn't impact me as much as they did fifteen years ago. Some of this is also because I've changed for the better as well. Yesterday, I found that I couldn't identify with the alcoholic single mother who shares about the empty place in her spirit because I don't feel that way anymore. I believe a few minor rewrites were done in attempt to make the play more relevant to this decade and our local area.
The show's producer, a former neighbor who started her own theatre company in order to provide roles for women onstage and off, is very cognizant of her audience and the fact that they are accepting, open, vocal, and exuberant. There was much cheering and laughter in the audience when a local spiritual retreat was mentioned by name.
I'm really glad that I went to see this play last night. I went on my own but ended up sitting with an old friend who was there. It was also nice to support theatre by women for, mostly, women. Those of you in my local area will soon be getting an email from me encouraging you to see this show. It's well worth seeing.
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2 comments:
This sounds like a really good show and even more, I am intrigued by your review of it. I'm always fasinated at how I can be so powerfully impacted by a show, a song, a book, etc at one point in my life and then later on when I go back to it, maybe just to see what is there or maybe looking for that same feeling - it isn't the same because I've changed. And the ironic thing is that work is part of what has changed me! :) Don't you just love being ever-changing...? Much <3, C
"Life is like a river, ever changing as it flows, and the dreamer's just a vessel that must follow where it goes." That's from one of my favorite Garth Brooks tunes. I am learning that change is a good thing and I'm grateful that I'm growing. It's nice to hear I'm not alone. :)
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