[NEohioPAL] QUILTERS! Another Rave Review!

[MaryJo Alexander via NEohioPAL]

*                                           Tough women quilt in Actors’
Summit’s ‘Quilters’*

                                 10/15/2015 - *West Side**
Leader                                  **By David Ritchey*
*Show features ‘excellent’ cast*

DOWNTOWN AKRON — Women are tough. That raw toughness surfaces in
*“Quilters,”* which is playing through Nov. 1 at Actors’ Summit Theater.

The production isn’t a long, evolving story, but instead features scenes
about pioneer women who struggle to hold together their families as they
move westward toward a new life. They pause to give birth, bury their dead
and move forward to build a new nation.

The women made quilts to keep the family warm at night, and the quilts
provided an artistic outlet for the women. Often the women in the family
gathered together around the quilting frame to work on one quilt — this
shared experience provided an opportunity for the family to draw even
closer.

One woman in the story tells of her husband helping her quilt.

This production of *“Quilters”* complements the Summit County Historical
Society’s Mutton Hill Quilt Show, which will take place Oct. 16-18 at the
John S. Knight Center.

The first act sets up the plan of the play. Women reminisce and tell
stories of quilts they’ve made. The stories fit together nicely with old
favorite hymns and original music written by Barbara Damashek. The book was
written by Molly Newman and Damashek.

The first act is light and whimsical. The second act is more painful and
rugged. In the second act, the characters deal with birth, children and
abortion. These women gave birth often without the benefit of a midwife.
Many raised five, 10 or more children. They shared a recipe for
easy-to-find spices that would cause a miscarriage.

The women worked with the men to build their log cabin homes. They finally
have a place to live. In another scene, they face prairie fires that
destroy their homes, crops and livestock. Yet, they move on — they were
tough and had no choice.

*The cast is one of the best ensembles to come *

*to an Akron stage in a long time.*

*Charlene DeJournett *plays Sarah, the mother. She brings maturity and
wisdom to the production. Sarah’s daughters are played by *Sally Groth,
Shani Ferry, Hope Caldwell, Sarah Slagle and Rachel Irwin.*

The excellent cast brought laughter, tears and stunned silence to the
theater. They sang solos, but the women were at their best when the six
sang together and blended beautifully.

*Ferry’s* character tells of not being able to have children. She falls in
love with a man and he loves her, but he wants children and marries another
woman. *Ferry’s *character is a teacher and later teaches his children.

*Groth’s* character, a mother of many children, has to deal with the death
of her husband and find a way to keep herself and her children alive on the
plains.

These women have a resilience, which keeps them going through the pains of
the westward trek. They tell the stories of their lives in their quilts.

The instrumentalists for “Quilters” include Deborah Ingersoll (keyboard),
Ian Leroy (alternate keyboardist), Groth (fiddle), Jon Mosey (banjo) and
Brian Mosey (guitar).

MaryJo Alexander directed this moving production. She works well with
musical shows. She caught the mood and spirit of each vignette in
“Quilters” and made that section meaningful.

*This is a satisfying production and is appropriate for the whole family**.*

For tickets, call 330-374-7568.

*David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in communications and is a professor of
communications at The University of Akron. He is a member of the American
Theatre Critics Association and the Cleveland Critics Circle.*



*MaryJo Alexander*
*Artistic Director*
*Actors' Summit Theater*
*Greystone Hall---6th floor*
*103 S. High St*
*Akron Oh 44308 *
*330-374-7568*
*www.actorssummit.org <http://www.actorssummit.org/>*
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