Five Women Wearing the Same Dress Opens September 13

“Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” opens Thursday, September 13, at Cotuit Center for the Arts and runs through September 30.

The dramedy, a wickedly funny, irreverent, and touching celebration of the female spirit, was written in 1993 by Alan Ball, the award-winning creator of two HBO drama series “Six Feet Under” and “True Blood,” and the movie, “American Beauty.”

During an ostentatious wedding reception at a palatial Knoxville, Tennessee estate, five reluctant bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom, each with her own reason for avoiding the proceedings below.

Directed by Melinda Gallant of Sandwich, the show stars five women: Jennifer Perrault of Mashpee is Meredith Marlow, the sarcastic, pot-smoking, bitter younger sister of the bride; Leigh Hale of Orleans is Georgeanne Darby, the bride’s “ugly sidekick” in middle school, heartbroken over her own failed marriage; Anna Botsford of Centerville is the jaded Trisha, who has dates a lot of men who don’t quite measure up; Jess Emerson of Marstons Mills is Frances, a very naïve and religious cousin of the bride; and Meg Askew of Cotuit is Mindy McClure, the outspoken lesbian older sister of the groom. Troy Davies of Barnstable plays the only man in the play, usher Tripp Davenport.

The women, relative strangers to each other at first, share a hatred of the bride, jealous because she seems to have it all, and. During the course of the evening, they smoke, drink, and complain, discussing everything from love and relationships to religion, physical beauty, and personal pain, as they look down on the reception from above.

Gallant describes the play as “offbeat and really funny,” calling to mind her own Southern roots. “It is about women in their late 20s and early 30s,” she said, “girly girls—even the lesbian is a ‘lipstick lesbian’—raised to be proper.”

“All the women are different, but they are strong characters in their own right, and, as they share intimacies, they begin to understand each other a little better,” said Gallant. “It is a wonderful celebration of the spirit of women.”

Gallant is very proud of her cast. “I have never dealt with a group of women who have been so perfect. It’s like they were made for their parts. They look their parts too. I was going for a particular look—the Southern belle, and these women all look great. Some are experienced actors and others are new to Cotuit. One, Meg Askew, has never acted on stage before, and that energy is terrific.”

The bridesmaid dress becomes its own character too, said Gallant, as the women examine themselves in the vanity mirror.

“Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” will be presented in the main theater at Cotuit Center for the Arts, and audience seating will be cabaret-style, at tables and chairs. Come opening night for a special “Welcome to the Wedding” festivities.

Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8 PM and Sunday afternoons at 4 PM. Tickets are $22, $19 for seniors, $17 for members, and $15 for students. Group rates are available for parties of 10 or more with one payment. 

Information from a press release.