The University Record, November 19, 1997
The Theatre Department will present Kevin O’Morrison’s lyrical drama Ladyhouse Blues at 8 p.m. Nov. 20-22 and 2 p.m. Nov. 23 at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre. Directed by Assistant Professor Darryl V. Jones in his Theatre Department debut, the play tells the story of five American womena mother and four daughtersduring a steamy summer in 1919 St. Louis, and deals with issues of poverty, illness and isolation through passion, humor and song.
As director, Jones made some unconventional choices when casting. “While Ladyhouse is a play about a family,” he says, “the most important thing about it for me is that it is a family of women. That opens it up to include women of many different nationalities.” For that reason, the women in Jones’ production come from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. “After the first 15 minutes of the play, the audience doesn’t see the racial makeup of an actor. Rather they will be caught up in a story about peoplepeople who share the same world, the same dreams, the same pains and the same laughter as all of us.”
Pictured are Gabrielle Brechner (left) who plays Liz, the mother, and Angela Lewis, who plays Eylie, the youngest of the four daughters.
Tickets are $18 and $14, $7 for students with I.D., and are available at the League ticket office. For more information, call 764-0450.
Photo by David Smith Photography
