Quilters April 18, 2009

The 2008/09 season closes with 'Quilters,' a musical by Molly Newman & Barbra Damashek, directed by Todd Reynolds. Ostensibly the story of a pioneer woman and her six daughters, 'Quilters' blends a series of interrelated scenes into a rich mosaic which captures the sweep and beauty, the terror and joy, the harsh challenge and abiding rewards of frontier life. Illuminating stories contained in various patches or "blocks" with music, dance and drama, the action depicts the lot of women on the frontier: girlhood, marriage, childbirth, spinsterhood, twisters, fire, illness and death. But, with this, there is also love, warmth, rich and lively humor and the moving spectacle of simple human dignity and steadfastness in the face of adversity. In the end, when the various patches are assembled into one glorious, brilliantly colorful quilt, the effect is both breathtaking and magical -- and a theatrical masterstroke which will linger in the mind and memory long after the house lights have dimmed.