The final days of a terminally ill elderly woman living out in the Virginia woods wouldn’t strike most people as a ripe subject for comedy.
However, when the elderly woman in question is a stubborn “backwoods redneck” who’s rather resentful of the Harvard-educated health care worker that’s come to look after her, the clash between two strong-willed women can produce a lot of laughs.
Comedy is used to lighten the mood of the play “Grace and Glorie,” which is being presented at the Barrhead Composite High School (BCHS) Drama Theatre this November.
Director Brian Key noted the play is his attempt to revive the Barrhead Community Theatre group, which has been inactive for about five years.
“It’s such an asset to have community theatre in the community,” he said. “There’s no better theatre than seeing people in the community on stage. That is just priceless.”
Key indicated this play would coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Barrhead Community Theatre group.
As indicated earlier, “Grace and Glorie” is a play about an older woman (played by Terry Steiestol) who is receiving hospice care from a young lady named Gloria (played by Amy Caldwell).
“[Grace is] this feisty old woman. She describes herself as a ‘backwoods redneck’ and she’s proud of it,” said Key.
Grace is living alone, as her husband died some time before. His death left her with somewhat of a bad impression of health care, Key said.
“This is in Virginia where health care isn’t free,” he said. “It ended up costing them a lot of money. And then, as she says, ‘he died anyway.’”
Gloria, meanwhile, is coming into Grace’s home as a relatively inexperienced health care worker.
“She has this little guidebook with her (that tells her) what to do and what to say, but none of it works with Grace,” Key said.
Naturally, the two butt heads. But as the play progresses, Key said, the two women learn how much they are alike, and how their life experiences have been similar despite their contrasting origins.
“In the end, of course, they end up as good buds,” Key said, noting the play is named ‘Grace and Glorie’ instead of ‘Grace and Gloria’ because the former is an affectionate nickname.
“These two get so attached that Grace starts to treat (Gloria) like her daughter or her sister, and she calls her her little Glorie.”
There will be a total of six performances of Grace and Glorie in the BCHS Drama Theatre. Parking will be on the north side of the school.
There will be two evening performances starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16 and Friday, Nov. 23.
There will also be four matinee performances starting at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 17-18 and Nov. 24-25.
Tickets cost $20 each and are available for sale at the Flower Shoppe in Barrhead.
Proceeds from the production will go towards the home care/palliative care program offered through the Barrhead Healthcare Centre.
Key indicated he chose to support the hospital’s home care/palliative care program because of the play’s subject matter.
“This play is a look at how a dying person’s last days are made better … if they can receive support at home,” he said.
“It wasn’t an option really at one time. Now it’s an option that people are looking at more often if the circumstances warrant it.”
Although this is just a two-person play, Key said they do need a little more help with some of the backstage duties — changing sets, overseeing lighting and sound, and selling tickets.
Key said he hopes people are willing to help out with the production in order to see community theatre revived again, or at least support it as a fundraiser.
Anyone wishing to help out with the production or needing more information about the play should call Key at (780) 674-2357. You can also e-mail him at [email protected].
