Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities

"Quilters" is currently being presented in an original production produced by Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities and directed by Stephanie Coltrin. It will be on stage at the Hermosa Beach Playhouse in Hermosa Beach through Jan. 28. And while there are stronger and weaker performances, the overall impression the show leaves is one of warmhearted appreciation for the struggles and fortitude exhibited by these stalwart women of the Plains.

"Quilters" is a show that will appeal to everyone.

But it would seem ideal as a bonding experience for mothers to share with their daughters, as it is sure to resonate and stimulate conversation. Aileen Marie Scott leads the ensemble as Sarah, the matriarch of a family that includes her seven daughters. And as Sarah and her brood tell their stories (and those of a variety of other characters) the interconnection between life, family and quilting is illuminated.

Through song, dance and narrative, we discover how important, literally and symbolically, quilts were to the women who settled the frontier. They meant survival against the frigid winds and blizzards that rampaged across the Plains. They were wedding dowries and burial shrouds. They were a source of social activity and female sharing. They were a fabric scrapbook of memories and a legacy to be handed down from mother to daughter to granddaughter.

Sarah's daughters are played by Jenny DiBennedetto, Marianna Frendo, Alison Kaufman, Kimberly Patterson, Anne Fraser Thomas, Anne Walsh and Lola Ward.

The stories they relate run the gamut from moments of joy and sharing (as mothers teach their daughters the art of stitching, piecing and quilting), to grim accounts of horrendous hardship, suffering and death.

It was a time when women were often married by the time they were 15 and commonly had 10 or more children before they were 35, many of whom perished. And in one of "Quilters' " most devastating scenes, a group of women conspire to terminate their friend's 13th pregnancy, knowing she is unlikely to survive the birth.

There are several standout performances. Patterson, in particular, brings a combination of grace, strength and lyricism to her characterizations. Thomas captures perfectly the rough- and-tumble, no-nonsense, strength that was required to survive in the wilderness. In contrast, Frendo projects a captivating sense of youthful zeal. Standing tall, Scott is every inch the matriarch.

If there are ups and downs in the dramatic credibility of the narratives, the singing quality is tunefully harmonious. One might have wished, however, for a more extensive musical ensemble, since a single synthesizer really can't approximate all the flavors of Damashek's folk music-inspired score.

Whether your taste in patterns runs to the Log Cabin, the Windmill, Sunbonnet Sue, the Lone Star, the Butterfly, the Shadow Box, or Twin Wedding Rings, "Quilters" has them all, stitched together into a most pleasing




		QUILTERS JANUARY 2007 QUILTERS: Jennifer DiBenedetto, Lola Ward, Kimberly Patterson, Marianna Frendo, Alison Kaufman, Anne Walsh, Anne Fraser Thomas and Aileen Marie Scott. PHOTO: Michael Askew	THE DAILY BREEZE THEATRE REVIEW 'Quilters' musical sheds light on joys and hardships of plains family life By Jim Farber Theater Critic It's not surprising that a show as honest, sincere, historically illustrative and all-American as "Quilters" has found a permanent place in the lexicon of musical theater. This multipaneled portrait of frontier women and the lives of their families premiered on Broadway in 1984. It was inspired by a project organized by the Smithsonian Institution as well as a variety of journals and books including The Quilters: Women and Domestic Art. The lyrics and music are by Barbara Damashek, who also co-wrote the book for the show with Molly Newman.
		"Quilters" is currently being presented in an original production produced by Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities and directed by Stephanie Coltrin. It will be on stage at the Hermosa Beach Playhouse in Hermosa Beach through Jan. 28. And while there are stronger and weaker performances, the overall impression the show leaves is one of warmhearted appreciation for the struggles and fortitude exhibited by these stalwart women of the Plains. "Quilters" is a show that will appeal to everyone. But it would seem ideal as a bonding experience for mothers to share with their daughters, as it is sure to resonate and stimulate conversation. Aileen Marie Scott leads the ensemble as Sarah, the matriarch of a family that includes her seven daughters. And as Sarah and her brood tell their stories (and those of a variety of other characters) the interconnection between life, family and quilting is illuminated. Through song, dance and narrative, we discover how important, literally and symbolically, quilts were to the women who settled the frontier. They meant survival against the frigid winds and blizzards that rampaged across the Plains. They were wedding dowries and burial shrouds. They were a source of social activity and female sharing. They were a fabric scrapbook of memories and a legacy to be handed down from mother to daughter to granddaughter. Sarah's daughters are played by Jenny DiBennedetto, Marianna Frendo, Alison Kaufman, Kimberly Patterson, Anne Fraser Thomas, Anne Walsh and Lola Ward. The stories they relate run the gamut from moments of joy and sharing (as mothers teach their daughters the art of stitching, piecing and quilting), to grim accounts of horrendous hardship, suffering and death. It was a time when women were often married by the time they were 15 and commonly had 10 or more children before they were 35, many of whom perished. And in one of "Quilters' " most devastating scenes, a group of women conspire to terminate their friend's 13th pregnancy, knowing she is unlikely to survive the birth. There are several standout performances. Patterson, in particular, brings a combination of grace, strength and lyricism to her characterizations. Thomas captures perfectly the rough- and-tumble, no-nonsense, strength that was required to survive in the wilderness. In contrast, Frendo projects a captivating sense of youthful zeal. Standing tall, Scott is every inch the matriarch. If there are ups and downs in the dramatic credibility of the narratives, the singing quality is tunefully harmonious. One might have wished, however, for a more extensive musical ensemble, since a single synthesizer really can't approximate all the flavors of Damashek's folk music-inspired score. Whether your taste in patterns runs to the Log Cabin, the Windmill, Sunbonnet Sue, the Lone Star, the Butterfly, the Shadow Box, or Twin Wedding Rings, "Quilters" has them all, stitched together into a most pleasing