Saturday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m.—RUTLAND—“Quilters, the Musical” is being presented by a consortium of Rutland Area women who have been involved in all aspects of local school and/or community theater for decades. Director Jennifer Bagley and Music Director Rita Lane have assembled a cast of talented actresses with beautiful voices, including Marsha Cassel, Melissa Chesnut-Tangerman, Julia Doiron, Mikki Lane, Maureen Sullivan, and Tegan Waite. The first of six performances will be presented on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. in the library at College of St. Joseph, Clement Ave., Rutland.
A tender, moving play about a pioneer woman and her daughters, “Quilters, the Musical” skillfully blends a series of interrelated scenes into a memorable musical. Each scene is introduced by a quilt square or block, symbolic of life’s passages. During each block, the actresses skillfully transform into many different characters whose stories depict the lot of women on the prairie. Combining music, dance and drama, the play captures both the harsh challenges and the abiding rewards of frontier life with vivid dramatic intensity.
The show schedule is as follows: Oct. 14, 7 p.m., College of St. Joseph Library, Rutland; Nov. 12, 3 p.m., Town Hall, Shrewsbury; Jan. 20, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Church, Middlebury; Feb. 10, 3 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Dorset Church, Dorset; March 10, 4 p.m., Brandon Inn, Brandon; and April 7, 7 p.m., College of St. Joseph Library, Rutland,.
The play has long been a passion of the presenters, not only because some are quilters themselves, but because it tells the universal story of the struggle of pioneer women on the frontier. And, although women may no longer be on the frontier, many still face daily challenges of poverty, abuse, and discrimination. Help come together to create a quilt of compassion to warm today’s needy families. All profits will be donated to the Rutland County Women’s Network & Shelter. Admission to all the performances will be by free will offering.
