by James McLure
performed May 18th-20th, 2006
in Little Kresge Theater at MIT
Directed by: Ronni Marshak and Mark Sickler
SYNOPSIS
In Laundry & Bourbon we visit
Elizabeth's back porch in Maynard, Texas, on a hot summer afternoon.
Elizabeth and her friend Hattie are whiling away the time folding
laundry, watching TV, sipping bourbon and Coke, and gossiping about the
many open secrets that are so much a part of small town life. They are
joined by the self-righteous Amy Lee, who can't resist blurting out
that Elizabeth's husband has been seen around town with another woman.
While the ensuing conversation is increasingly edged with bitter humor,
from it emerges a sense of Elizabeth's inner strength and her quiet
understanding of the turmoil which has beset her husband since his
return from Viet Nam.
Lone Star takes place in the cluttered
backyard of a small town Texas bar. Elizabeth's husband, Roy, a brawny,
macho type who had once been a local high school hero, is back in town
after a hitch in Viet Nam, and trying to re-establish his position in
the community. Joined by his younger brother, Roy, who worships him,
Ray sets about consuming a case of beer while regaling Ray with tales
of his military an amorous exploits. Roy cherishes three things in
life: Lone Star beer, his wife Elizabeth, and his classic pink
Thunderbird car, not necessarily in that order.
