For the Antigo Times

Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Zindel’s drama unfolds over the course of a Friday evening in October of 1970, within the apartment of the Reardon sisters in New York City. Chemistry teacher Anna Reardon has taken the death of the sisters’ mother particularly hard and, when the play begins, is medicated and has missed several days of work, where she has committed a legally and ethically serious indiscretion. Assistant Principal Catherine Reardon, who lives with Anna, is attempting to deal with her sister’s fixation on death, including an insistent embrace of vegetarianism, with the aid of copious amounts of both sarcasm and alcohol. Catherine has invited the third and only married Reardon sister, Board of Education Superintendent Ceil, to dinner, inviting also all of the sisters’ old grudges and new tensions into an evening further complicated when Fleur, a guidance counselor, and her businessman husband Bob drop by on their way to a night out.  The efforts of Anna and Catherine’s neighbor Mrs. Pentrano to sell them skin creams and bath crystals further underscores the underlying social conflicts. The cultural anxieties about gender roles are most clearly on display when Bob blames the Reardon’s problems on a lack of men in their lives. (His wife is more worried about increased secularization, on which she has written a paper.) The women, however, also undermine one another. Aside from the persistent and damaging swirl of onstage and offstage gossip that envelops all of the characters, Catherine and Ceil often speak over or for Anna, but when she pushes back, she gives at least as good as she gets. The emotional push and pull among the sisters (and Fleur’s self-serving insertion of herself into the goings-on) leads to some painfully honest assessments of one another and to the revelation of secrets, including one of the true roots of Anna’s fears. By the end, long-simmering resentments are laid bare in the apartment, as are choices between the family and the external world, and between selfishness and sisterhood.

This production contains adult language and subject matter.  Parental guidance is suggested.

For every canned food item a patron brings to the show you will get a chance to win a gift basket valued at $200.  A drawing will take place at the end of each performance.  You can also purchase tickets for $1.00 for the basket.  All donations and money will go towards The New Hope Shelter that provides a temporary residence for those in need based in Crandon.

It will be held November 16th, 17th and 18th at 7:00PM.  The Sunday performance will be at 1:00pm on the 19th.  The venue for the show will be Madonna Hall in Wabeno.  It is located at 1793 Elm Ave. right behind St. Ambrose Catholic Church.  Tickets are $15 each.  To get tickets for the season productions, you are able to call (800) 838-3006 or go online to http://www.wabenoareaplayers.brownpapertickets.com.  You can choose your seat or have them do it for you.  We now have tiered and comfortable seating.  Not a poor seat in the house!  As always, refreshments and free popcorn are available throughout the shows.  Tickets will only be made available at the door 90 minutes prior to each performance.  Tickets are not guaranteed as most productions will be at capacity.  Please purchase your tickets early for best seating and available dates.

For more information you can go to Wabeno Area Players website at: http://www.wabenoareaplayers.org.