Gina Femia’s extraordinary new high school-set play “The Virtuous Fall of The Girls From Our Lady of Sorrows” utilizes a simple premise to dive headfirst into the complex, all-too disheartening vortex known as the patriarchy. Set in the not-so-distant past immediately following 9/11, the play follows an adolescent group of girls trying to stage an original adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Measure For Measure” at their all-girls Catholic school.
Read MoreMr. Squires’ play is worth seeing and is especially relevant in the current political environment. Be prepared to have firmly held opinions questioned and loyalties deeply challenged. The blanket of dust created on September 11, 2001 has never lifted and perhaps never will. This play keeps the conversation alive and engaging.
Read MoreNearly anyone who was alive and conscious on September 11th, 2001 will tell you they remember where they were on that day. While I was only eight years old at the time, even I still remember seeing it on TV – and the reactions of everyone surrounding me – when it happened. My memory is even clearer of the aftermath in the succeeding years: the blind patriotism and trust in government among the vast majority of Americans, the pro-war propaganda of the Bush administration, and on the other side, persisting conspiracy theories surrounding who was really responsible for the collapse of the World Trade Center. All of these are the themes that A Blanket of Dust – the new play by Richard Squires – explores in a very personal and thought-provoking manner.
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