Laughter is the Best Medicine in St. Dunstan’s ‘Five Women Wearing the Same Dress’
Just what exactly is it that ties people to one another? It may seem like a simple question, but chances are that people would have vastly different answers to it, as what draws us to others can depend on various reasons. Think about friendships from high school, which seemed at one point stronger than diamonds and impossible to break. However, not long after the ink was dried in your yearbook and with promises of seeing each other again, the friendship disappeared. Yet, other bonds are formed in ways that defy the odds, although the reason for the strength is unknown or unclear. Relationships such as the one shared between the characters at the center of St. Dunstan’s Theatre’s Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.
Five Women Wearing the Same Dress was written by Alan Ball, a name you might recognize from series such as Six Feet Under, True Blood, and the film American Beauty. Ball has never shied away from exploring dark topics in his work, and Five Women Wearing the Same Dress doesn’t either, using humor to explore what would have been considered taboo subjects back when this show premiered in 1993. Under the direction of Deb Dworkin, St. Dunstan’s continues to push the boundaries of community theater, sharing timely tales and stories from populations that are often overlooked.
It’s not every day you see a local theater take on a show such as Five Women Wearing the Same Dress for fear of community backlash or distancing audiences if boundaries are pushed past personal limits. Still, the bravery of telling stories such as this makes St. Dunstan’s Theatre and others like it all the more important to celebrate and shine a lot on. So, what exactly makes Five Women Wearing the Same Dress dark? Let’s look past the lace and frills and explore this latest production from the Bloomfield Hills, MI, theater.
[Warnings: Spoilers from Five Women Wearing the Same Dress are below!]
There’s nothing like a wedding to bring people together in this Alan Ball play
What is most interesting about Five Women Wearing the Same Dress is how it transitioned from a straight-up comedy to a drama over the course of the two acts, which I didn’t expect in the slightest. The premise is relatively simple when we first meet our five women, who have gathered in Meredith Marlowe’s (Brittany Lauren) childhood bedroom on the day of her sister Tracy’s wedding. Meredith is stressed and looking for pot, as she would rather be anywhere else than this wedding, especially in the ugly bridesmaid dress that her sister has picked out. Frilly and pink, with the most obnoxious hat and high-heeled shoes to match, she feels out of place among everyone else.
But she isn’t alone in that feeling, even if none of the other women in the room will admit that. Take cousin Frances (Sara Shook), for example; she’s incredibly religious and never lets anyone forget that, often alienating herself from others by her constant chatter of morals and Jesus. Or how about Trisha (Kori Bielaniec), the rebel of the group? As an adolescent best friend of Tracy, she was constantly getting into trouble; however, she now rebels against societal norms such as the notion of marriage and the need to have children. She’s outspoken about her beliefs, much like Frances, which doesn’t always sit well with those around her.
Then there is Mindy (Lauren Neuwirth), who is the bull in a china shop of the five women. She’s not only noticeable because of her stature and clumsiness, but also because of her mouth and inability to hold back her thoughts and opinions. She’s also a lesbian at a time when it wasn’t exactly safe to do so, especially in Knoxville, Tennessee. Or how about Georgeanne (Angela Vankempen), Tracy’s “ugly” friend from high school, who is living in an unhappy marriage and pining after someone from her past?
All five of these women are tied together through Tracy, but those binds are flimsy to say the least. While they all may be her bridesmaids, none of them have a deep connection with the bride or the new life she’s built with her new, rich husband. Instead, they are bound together through trauma and being social outcasts in their own rights, which, as the play progresses, becomes a much stronger bond than they could even imagine. A sisterhood of the ugly pink dresses is formed, which might be the only blessing from this horrendous wedding disaster.
The strength of Five Women Wearing the Same Dress comes from the talented cast
As stated above, this play is classified as a comedy; however, by the end of the first act, there’s a quick shift to drama that I wasn’t expecting. What felt like it was going to be a light romp through a horrid wedding took a left at sexual assault and the actions of an incredibly abusive boy turned-man who lacks all respect for women and boundaries. I love that Alan Ball had the gall to talk about that back in 1993, when sexual assault still feels like a taboo subject to most society today.
Five Women Wearing the Same Dress does something that makes such topics easier to digest; it uses laughter to soften the blow. During the show, audiences laugh at all the antics these women are going through, which, trust me, is the entire gambit, but not during the complex topics. When these characters discuss the horrible acts of men in their lives, the show makes audiences pay attention. Eventually, the show brings us back to the laughs, but only when it attempts to remind people that there is light to guide us to a better place, regardless of how dark life can get.
The true magic of this St. Dunstan’s production is from the small but incredibly talented cast that handles this story with kid gloves. Brittany Lauren carries a lot of the show’s emotional weight as the past of her character, Meredith, comes to light. Meredith has a tough exterior, coming across as rough and gruff to those around her, but truly, the shell is a shield from the outside world. If she can keep people away from her, she won’t be hurt, at least hypothetically. Lauren creates something special with her performance of Meredith, giving nuance to a role that could easily become one-dimensional to audience members.
Regarding character growth, I was shocked that Frances has some of the most throughout Five Women Wearing the Same Dress. She initially felt underdeveloped as a character, a trope of a God-fearing woman. Still, as the show progresses, she becomes softer to the women present and the world in general. She remains naive during the play, but you see a growing potential as her eyes open to a different world beyond the bible. That has to be even more challenging to play than someone who is there strictly for comedic relief, which she provides a lot of. Sara Shook takes all of this and produces a character who is equally loveable as she is difficult to be around, something that we see all the other characters struggle with as well. Shook’s performance is engaging and even endearing, while not ignoring how incredibly flawed Frances is.
Another comedic relief yet hugely flawed character is that of Georgeanne. She’s one of those people who cannot help but step on her toes repeatedly, becoming the villain of her own story. And yet, she’s also full of light and life, laughing at herself even through the tears pouring down her face. Angela Vankempen’s performance reminded me of comic heavyweights such as Caroline Rhea and Melissa Peterman. She hooked me from the moment she walked onto the stage, and I couldn’t look away. Her timing was perfect, and her delivery was impeccable. If you don’t know her name yet, you should take note, as comedy like this only comes around once in a blue moon.
Lauren Neuwirth continues to prove just what a powerhouse she is in the Michigan theater scene, delivering another exceptional performance as Mindy. Similar to her role in Puffs, done earlier in the season at St. Dunstan’s, Neuwith is able to explore her comedy side of acting, which she does with such ease. However, Mindy is also someone who is unabashed to be who she is, which often puts her at odds with others. She’s not just there for the laughs but has plenty of material to explore, and Neuwirth does so with the power of a great performer.
And where would Five Women Wearing the Same Dress be without the bold Trisha, who connects many narratives throughout the two acts? She’s Sassy. She’s saucy. She’s intelligent. She’s kind and so full of love. She’s also terrified of being hurt and opening her vulnerable side to others. Kori Bielaniec has so much to juggle with Trisha but manages to command the stage with the role instead of getting swallowed up in it. She’s a force to be reckoned with, giving this show exactly what it needs to succeed.
St. Dunstan’s Theatre continues its track record of excellent show
When it comes down to it, the only negative about Five Women Wearing the Same Dress stems from the source material and how it handles some of the topics. I greatly wish there was more expansiveness around the sexual assault storyline, but that gripe doesn’t reflect upon the incredible show that St. Dunstan’s Theatre and the creatives involved produced. These actresses and those behind the scenes put their blood, sweat, and tears into this show, doing everything in their power to do it justice, and they not only met the mark but exceeded it. So, if you’re a lover of theatre and the craft that goes into it, then Five Women Wearing the Same Dress is not one to be missed.
St. Dunstan’s Theatre’s Five Women Wearing the Same Dress runs for one more weekend. Have you seen this show produced before? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or @boxseatbabes!
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