'THE OCTETTE BRIDGE CLUB' | Review Sisters meet to play, learn

You don't have to have siblings to be moved by this show.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- This past weekend brought a mix of tears and laughter to local theaters, and New Castle Playhouse was no exception.
"The Octette Bridge Club," directed by Paul Angelucci, is the story of eight sisters who get together every other Friday to play bridge.
It takes place in 1934 and 1944. At first, it seems like a comedy about a close family who laugh, tease and enjoy one another's company. But the progression of this play is like peeling away layers of an onion until the core -- the truth -- is exposed. A word to all who attend: Take a big box of tissues.
The youngest and wisest
It begins in the house of Ann, where the ladies are meeting. A photographer from the local newspaper is there to take their picture as they celebrate the club's third anniversary.
The dialogue introduces each lady, who they are and a little about their family.
On the surface, they all project the epitome of happiness, except for Betsy, the youngest, who is the fly-in-the-ointment throughout the play. Erica Stickel was absolutely magnificent in this role.
Betsy craves attention. She is depressed, easily hurt, and desperately wanting approval and love from her other sisters. Martha, the oldest, picks on her and treats her like a child, and it is the tension between the two of them that comes to a head in the end. Karen Kern, masterfully played Martha: at first, cantankerous, bossy, and self-righteous until the last scene, where we learn her deep, dark secret. The emotional outpouring between the two was heart-stopping.
Even though the play appears to be about the relationships among sisters, it is actually a story about women coming of age.
While it seems like Betsy is the outcast, she also represents the modern woman.
She learns that all is not as is seems in the lives of her sisters. They live behind a fa & ccedil;ade, where the faces they show to the world are far from the reality of their situation. It bothers Betsy that her sisters have accepted their lives and marriages as normal -- typical of women of that era.
Betsy wants to be intimate with her sisters, sharing her feelings, her problems, her affection. But the more she attempts to fit in, the more she becomes the outcast. In Act Two, after her release from a mental institution, she faces life with self-confidence. She understands she doesn't fit in with her family because she has outgrown them, but it is now her choice.
The sisterhood
Stephanie Holt was superb as the sickeningly cheerful Lil: flighty, breaking into song to defuse any display of emotion. Lucky for us because we were treated with Holt's gorgeous singing voice throughout the play.
Amy Warner was excellent as Ann, who giggled like Lil and quickly subdued any welling of emotion. She was most concerned with outward appearances, while Connie, wonderfully portrayed by Helen-Marie Gould, was the clown and flirt, most opinionated yet compassionate.
Kathy Leihgaber played Nora, the only sister who really did have a good marriage and who stood up to Martha. Tina Cole, as Mary, the spinster of the group, gave a shining performance in Act Two, after her illness. She lived with Alice, portrayed by Hazel Zimmerman, the most reserved and quiet sister. Aaron Zimmerman played the photographer.
Whether you have siblings or not, you will be moved by this play. The casting was perfect, and the performances were powerful.
It continues through Feb. 5, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Call (724) 654-3437 for information.