Inside Iowa State

Nov. 2, 2007

Quilters stitches together pioneer legacy

by Erin Rosacker

Life on the early American frontier, viewed through the eyes of women, is the fabric of which ISU Theatre's production of Quilters will be woven.

The musical, written by Barbara Damashek and Molly Newman, was inspired by a book of oral histories collected from female pioneer settlers.

The play centers on Sarah, who is creating a "legacy quilt" with her six daughters. Each quilt block contains a story -- reflections upon the struggles, joys and sorrows of pioneer women -- brought to life in breakout vignettes through song, dance and drama.

"There are seven women and they begin and end the production as a mother and her six daughters," said theatre professor Jane Cox, who is directing the play. "In between, all of the actresses, except for the mother, take on all sorts of different roles. They play the role of children, of young women and of older women. Some of their experiences are happy and fun and freeing, and some of them are deeply sad and tragic, but all of their experiences weave together to show what life on the prairie was like."

The cast of seven women stars senior Katherine Stearns as Sarah. The six daughters are played by seniors Janae Hohbein and Mariana Seda, freshmen Kayla Kaufmann, Ellen Provorse and Meghan Sigwarth, and junior Tami White.

Cox said this is not a typical musical production, demanding a diversity of talent from the cast.

"They have to play so many different kinds of roles," Cox said. "It is not usual in a script that you're asked to play a 7-year-old girl, or a 65-year-old woman, and you don't get to change makeup. You have to convince people -- through what you're saying and your voice -- how that's changed."

Quilters straddles Thanksgiving break with a Nov. 9-11 premiere, then running again on Nov. 30, Dec. 1 and Dec. 2. All of the productions are in Fisher Theater. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 p.m., while Sunday performances are 2 p.m. matinees. Tickets, available at the Iowa State Center ticket office (4-2479), are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $7 for students and children.

"There are seven women and they begin and end the production as a mother and her six daughters. In between, all of the actresses, except for the mother, take on all sorts of different roles. They play the role of children, of young women and of older women. Some of their experiences are happy and fun and freeing, and some of them are deeply sad and tragic, but all of their experiences weave together to show what life on the prairie was like."

Jane Cox