p>Monologues

Characters: 1-12female

Unit set

This evening of twelve emotionally charged monologues starred Judith Ivey Off Broadway, where its run was extended twice. From ad exec to Midwest mom to care-giver to construction worker, each character is on fire in her own way - with passion, fear, self-discovery, even shopping Exploring the breadth of women's issues with humor and wisdom, the monologues offer excellent roles for one or more mature actresses. Women on Fire earned the highest rating for audience satisfaction from the Wall Street Journal/Zagat Theatre Survey.

"Bewitching ... astounding ... heartbreaking." - The New York Times "

"Heartwarming, riveting drama." - NYTheatre.com

"Fresh, spirited ... plumbing the secret depths of ordinary women." - Backstage.

"Hot pick." - New York Newsday .

"A rare and exquisite evening.... Lyrical, touching substantial and ultimately profound.... Cancel all other appointments and treat yourself to this extraordinary evening of sublime writing." -Southampton Press

"Passionate and insightful.... Each character is memorable." - Riverhead Independent

#1 New Release in Alcoholism and Christian Self-Help Memoir and Portrait of a Family at Its Worst and BestSome memoirs shock. Some entertain. Some take us places we're afraid to go. A rare few move us. Once in a blue moon, a book does it all. This is Risking the Rapids. Dysfunctional family. Risking the Rapids opens with the shocking death of O'Garden's older brother, which prompts her and other relatives to seek closure on a journey through the remotest spot in Montana. Described genially as a river "float", a harrowing journey unfolds. This wilderness trip is contrasted with O'Garden's account of growing up with her six siblings in a clashing Catholic family. Alcoholic father, mean mother, Catholic guilt. WCCO-TV personality Don O'Brien was well-known in the Twin Cities and in Minnesota. Whether forecasting weather and trading wisecracks with the anchor on the nightly news, pitching for sponsors, or hosting a Saturday night movie, he was a man people trusted. In private, Don O'Brien's family life was a far cry from what his fans saw on TV. Little by little we see the corrosion: nightly martinis shared with his wife Betty, an undemonstrative and icy-hearted mother. The neglect. The poisoning of self-esteem. The rigidity demanded by the Catholic church. Competition. Cruelty. All packed into ordinary days and nights as a sensitive girl comes of age. Anxiety and danger. The children vary in their response to the profound anxiety sown in the offspring of alcoholics. One brother bites his fingers to gangrene. One relentlessly bullies the author, who begins overeating compulsively. One severs all ties with the family. Danger mounts as well on the Montana raft trip, when unusual river conditions swell and speed the waters. Both stories build with escalating intensity to excruciating climaxes. If you read and liked books such as The Liars' Club, The Wounded Heart, Coming Clean, Change Me into Zeus's Daughter, or Remember Me As Loving You, you will want to read Risking the Rapids.