What do Gloria, a white, 40 year-old former Manhattan career woman and Grace, a black, 90 year-old country woman from a farm in Virginia have in common? Probably a lot more than you think, as we discover in Tom Ziegler's sweet play, Grace and Glorie. These two women, one dying from cancer, the other a volunteer hospice worker sent to comfort her final days, start off wary of each other, but develop a relationship based both on those unexpected commonalties, and the realization that each can teach the other a lot about themselves.

Director Donna DeCarl has paced this longish show well, recognizing that this is Grace's home, and must move at Grace's country gait, while slowly being affected by Glorie's New York beat. The script takes its leisurely time to reach its first real crisis, and ambles once more until touching conclusion, but Ms. DeCarl plays up the humor to counter this. The blocking is consistent, and her casting is her trump card.

Helen Hayes, an actress I'd like to see a lot more of, is perfectly genuine as the out-of-place Glorie. Her line reads are consistently believable, her emotions seemingly impromptu. Her character has the potential for being flat, but she keeps her fleshed-out and true.

Joyce Gittoes is equally as genuine. While she tends to slow down scenes with her hesitant line-reads, her emotions are exactly where they need to be.

Thom Gilseth, who proclaims himself "one of the most renowned scenic designers in Phoenix", this time doesn't disappoint. His recreation of a one-room shack on Grace's farm is a wonderful space, and Prop Mistress Connie Alderman fills it well with great, nostalgic items. Michael J. Eddy's lighting is great for every mood of the passing time, and Sparky Hulgan's sound design is flawless. Jean Crudup's costumes capture character well.

This is a very good presentation of an all right script. It has important things to say, and offers some funny moments along the way. One just wishes for a little less verbosity, and a little more drama. But, those moments, along with their genuine presentation, makes this a worthy production.

Production Details:
Grace and Glorie by Tom Ziegler
Black Theatre Troupe
The Helen K. Mason Center for the Performing Arts, Phoenix
(602) 258-8128
October 5th - 22nd, 2000

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