(Courtesy of the Jewish Theatre of Bloomington)
In the Jewish Theatre of Bloomington's latest show - Bess Welden's new play Madeleines - Debra, a struggling food writer, has returned to her childhood home in Ohio’s rust belt to care for her declining mother Rose, an exacting cookie baker. When Jennifer, Debra's very successful older sister, arrives for Rose's funeral, shared memories and old sibling grievances boil to the surface. As the sisters confront their loss, a startling secret about their mother’s most-treasured Passover recipe emerges, which changes everything they thought they knew about their family.
Francesca Sobrer directed this production, and when we spoke, she said the play is not just about mothers and daughters and sisters. It's also about the secrets we carry, how they affect us and our children, and how grief can open up new perspectives.
Madeleines runs May 4-13 at the Waldron Rose Firebay. You can find more information at the Jewish Theatre of Bloomington's website, and you can listen to my conversation with Francesca Sobrer above.