Natalya Nielsen, Campbell, McKenna Slone, Marie Zolezzi, Lorena Gonzalez, Sharae Foxie (Photo – Marlon Savinelli)
Echo Theater Company brings us a docu-play created by Makaela Vogel and directed by Sky Paley.
By Carol Edger Germain
Ms. Vogel’s father grew up with eight sisters, and the play recreates interviews of all of the aunts conducted by Ms. Vogel.
There were many variations in the paths the sisters’ lives took, in light of all the changes in options occurring in the ’60’s and ’70’s: Marry young and raise a family? Go to college? Live at home for a while after high school? Follow a career path? Immediately leave home and get your own apartment? Become a nun? Join the peace and love generation, become a hippie, hitchhike the country and join a commune? These ladies sampled quite a variety of options, but their bond brought them together, providing love, support, advice, and salvation as circumstances required.
This was especially meaningful to me, as I am in that generation, and could connect with each sister and reminisce about the different paths various friends and family had taken during those years. Several of the sisters and various other family members were present in the theater the night I attended, and it enhanced the experience greatly. What would be annoying at any other venue (emotion and occasional comments coming from other guests) was a wonderful addition. It’s a very small theater, and I felt like I was at the family’s reunion. I even gasped at one point as one of the sisters talked about her life, as I could have written that part.
Although I think the play is especially poignant for women of my generation, it would be enjoyable for anyone, either as a fellow female traveler during the late 20th century, or for a younger generation who missed those transitional years, or even those in their 80’s and 90’s whose children came of age in those transitional times and initiated changes.
Makaela Vogel’s eight aunts circa 1957
(Photo courtesy of Makaela Vogel)
Mother Sisters Curated and Constructed by Makaela Vogel Directed by Sky Paley Starring Cambell, Sharae Foxie, Eliza Frakes, Lorena Gonzalez, Hollye Hudson, Gloria Ines, Dylan Jones, Natalya Nielsen, Hilary Oglesby, Marti Skoler, Mckenna Slone, Chelsea Spirito, Makaela Vogel, Zoe Walpole, Marie Zolezzi Produced by Winnie Chen Echo Theater Company Atwater Village Theatre 3269 Casitas Ave Los Angeles, CA 90039 Free parking in the Atwater Crossing (AXT) lot one block south of the theater Presented by The Echo Theater Company, Chris Fields artistic director Wednesdays at 8:00 pm: Oct. 26 Thursdays at 8:00 pm: Oct. 27 Tickets $10 - EchoTheaterCompany.com (Check for up-to-date COVID policies on the day of each performance)
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