Pearls of wisdom from multiple generations

‘String of Pearls’ is a provocative new play that follows a pearl necklace as it changes… ‘String of Pearls’ is a provocative new play that follows a pearl necklace as it changes hands across time and space and impacts the lives of all who come in contact with it.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ On a bare stage with blue hues and sliding panels, we meet Beth, a 72-year-old grandmother who is preparing for her granddaughter’s wedding. She is desperately trying to find the pearl necklace she passed on to her daughter so that her granddaughter, a young doctor who doesn’t want children, will be able to wear them when she walks down the aisle. This is the starting point for the history of the string of pearls. We are drawn into the story of how Beth received the necklace — an amusing tale that confuses the sexual reference with the treasured piece of jewelry — and from there, we follow the necklace as it makes its way across oceans, into coffins and onto the necks of a number of remarkable women.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The structure of the play itself is best described as a series of eloquently strung together monologues. The cast is comprised of four women: Rebecca Harris, Helena Ruoti, Sheila McKenna and Sharon Washington, who take on all the different roles, regardless of sex, race and religion. Performed without an intermission, this play so effortlessly moves forward in time, with a vibrancy and emotion that can be as much attributed to the playwright as the actresses themselves, that I didn’t once glance at my watch.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Each woman gives an outstanding performance and clearly defines each character she portrays through her voice, body and movement, leaving no room for confusion concerning the different roles. McKenna’s characters, for example, range from a PTA mom who is slowly dying, to an awkward man at a high school reunion, to a 300-pound lesbian interested in an older woman. Though the play stays in the lives of each of these characters only briefly, playwright Michele Lowe plunges you into the midst of their situations, and, for better or for worse, you just hold on for the ride.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ While the play’s humor and heartbreak are in no way limited to a female audience, it explores many of the issues that women face today. One character cares for her elderly mother who doesn’t even recognize her as her daughter. Another is a divorcee struggling to care for her children; another still has a husband who is cheating on her. Throughout these women’s lives, we see their search for happiness, stability, acceptance and love. But at the heart of the play seem to be the ideas of loss and gain. As the pearl necklace is lost and found again and again, each woman seems to find a piece of herself that had been lost, hidden or forgotten.

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ From loving your mother to leaving your husband, ‘String of Pearls’ is truly a tribute to the strength and beauty of women everywhere.