One thing's for sure. Carbondale's Thunder River Theatre Company (TRTC)
does not choose the easy route.
Director and designer Lon Winston, creates a homey living room and kitchen set for his actors. It's present day at Thelma Cates' home in the country.
Winston found Valerie Haugen and Julia Whitcombe to become Jessie and Thelma, and become them they do. Judging from the professionalism and consistently high quality theater that this group produces, (their support) is certainly deserved.
Her adult daughter, Jessie, lives with her, and we watch, without intermission, while these two work their way through a difficult and invective evening, even though an undenying feeling of love pervades their discourse. Audience members shift in their seats, and sniffles are heard sporadically, but laughter is heard too. It's a very real play.
From the opening curtain it almost feels a bit intrusive for the audience to be sitting in the dark watching this mother and daughter peel off layer after painful layer of emotion, desperation, determination and love. It's so private and personal, and maybe we shouldn't be there. But this is also the mark of a great play, and of convincing acting, coupled with strong direction.