Independence by Lee Blessing, Paradox Palyers, June 3 - 19

Independence, first staged in 1983, is one of the earliest of Lee Blessing's theatre works. It's a tidy, well constructed box-set play that announces its theme open-faced with the very title.

The fact that the setting is Independence, Iowa, misleads no one. That speck on the map, population of about 5,500, stands for AnyTown, USA, or at least, AnySmallTown, USA.

Blessing probably started with a schematic diagram: small town, an intermittently crazy mother, three daughters born ten years apart; in the forced circumstances of a reunion, he has the opportunity to portray the Stages of Womankind. Evelyn Briggs is the mom, a tenuous survivor of life in Independence; Kess, the oldest, is the Mature Woman who escaped, now a university professor in Minneapolis and only incidentally a lesbian; Jo the Stay-at-home Daughter sees the prospect of dutiful daughterdom and, probably, spilnsterhood before her; and Sherry is a Luscious Good-time Girl in high school, itching to hit adulthood and the road that leads the hell out of Independence, Iowa.

The little world of women created here by Blessing, director Lisa Foster, and the well chosen Paradox Players cast is one of warmth, humor and jousting for personal space.

Read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Upcoming: Independence by Lee Blessing, Paradox Players at the Unitarian Universalist Church, June 3 - 19

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present

Independence
by Lee Blessing

directed by Lisa Foster

June 3-19

Howson Hall, First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover (click for map)

It's 1983 in Independence, Iowa - a town that's hard to stay in, but even harder to leave behind. This gripping, often humorous rollarcoaster ride looks unflinchingly at the lives of three grown daughters and their offbeat mother.

Auditions for Independence by Lee Blessing, Paradox Players, April 4 & 5

Received directly:

Paradox Players are holding auditions for Independence by Lee Blessing on April 4 & 5, 7-9 pm at the Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Road (click for map). Lisa Foster will direct the production, to be staged June 3-19. Independence offers roles available for 4 actresses to play 4 well-written, completely developed characters that consist of a mother and 3 daughters:

Evelyn -- 50's-60's, mother of three grown daughters, needy, off-the-wall, controlling, comic timing absolutely necessary

Kess -- mid to late 30's, independent, intellectual, professor of english literature, hard shell w/ vulnerable inside, transforms within the play

Jo -- late 20's or early to mid 30's, pregnant, kind, dutiful, caretaker of Mom, low self-esteem, makes a transformation within the play

Sherry -- 19, graduating from high school in a few weeks, selfish by necessity, snarky, has great comic lines so comic timing necessary

Setting is Independence, Iowa in 1984, when the oldest daughter, English professor Kess, is called home to tend to her unstable mother and desperate sisters.

Auditionees are requested to read the script, which is available for check-out at the mailroom at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover and at the Austin Creative Alliance office (formerly ACOT), at 701 Tillery. For more information, email info@paradoxplayers.org or call (512) 673-7753.