Quilters: A Musical

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

For the third time award-winning director, Bev Newcomb-Madden sits at the helm of Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek’s enchanting play Quilters now playing at the Aurora Fox.

Sheri Davis and Glenna Kelley in Quilters by Molly Newman & Barbara Damashek

Quilters always astonishes me; always reminds me how spoiled we are with all of our trinkets and electronic gadgets designed to simplify life but frequently complicates it. Quilters amazes me that the Pioneers even thought about taking their trek much less actually doing it.

For a non-sewer who will leave a blouse in the closet for months simply because it needs a button, Quilters reminds me how vital and needed quilting was once upon a time.

For the pioneer woman, quilting was their history book, their family ties, their inspiration, their balance beam, and their photo album in the midst of a harsh and difficult reality.

Quilters follows Sarah, warmly played by Laura Booze, and her six daughters through the trials and tribulations pioneer life. The six daughters are played by: Glenna Kelley, Shari Davis, Patricia L. Mansfield, Janelle Kato, Sarah Mae Johnson, and Amanda Goldrick.

Behind a scrim, Musical Director Martha Yordy on the piano and her musicians: Lynn Case, Becky Birchfield, Michael Fitzmaurice, and David Rutherford are featured. Before each act they are highlighted. The live music and expertise of these musicians add flavor and strength to this production.

Now elderly, Sarah relates the story behind 20 blocks for the completed quilt. Her story starts with her first quilt and her three-inch long stitches. Booze provides intelligence, wisdom, to her years on the prairie, although her stance and movement belies the elderly age. She moves too quickly, dances too gracefully for an elderly woman.

Some of the voices of the daughters lack power.

Some of the lyrics are swallowed, but the songs are charming and point to depth, struggle, heartache, happiness, gratitude, and growing up on the Great Plains at the end of the 19th Century. All six actors for the daughters project a different personality and maintain their characters.

Each block of the quilt reflects a scene with a name of its own: School Houses, Four Doves, Sewing Bee, Lone Star, Double Wedding, Country Crossroads, Butterfly, Crosses and Losses, Tree of Life to name a few.Choreographer Kathy Kautz aptly designed the dancing to give strength to the cast.

This represents Sarah’s last quilt, and it is a masterpiece. The final scene with the completed quilt is awesome. The original quilt design, “The Sunset on Sunbonnet Sue” was designed and executed by the Seamsters Union Local No. 500 of Lawrence, Kansas.

El Armstrong provided the sound design that greatly adds to the quality of the performance. Jacob Welch’s lighting design adds depth to the impact. The costumes designed by Sharon Goetz add vibrant colors, originality, and visual satisfaction.

Although not a highly polished performance, the overall effect, story and music leaves a feeling of awe and admiration for those who came before us. And that, after all is the point.