Convergence Theatre Company, Yuba-Sutter’s newest performing arts organization, powered by Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture, is seeking performers for a production of the timely and award-winning play, “Roe”, directed by Matthew DeMeritt and Betsy Johnson.

ROE - The Play by Lisa Loomer

About The Play

Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion, is still fiercely debated nearly 50 years later, especially in light of the recent SCOTUS decision. In this incisive play, acclaimed writer Lisa Loomer cuts through the headlines and rhetoric to reveal the divergent personal journeys of lawyer Sarah Weddington and plaintiff Norma McCorvey ("Jane Roe") in the years following the fateful decision. In turn shocking, humorous, and poignant, ROE reflects the polarization in America today while illuminating the heart and passion each side has for its cause.

Show Dates


Wednesday, September 21st, 2022 -

Sunday, September 25th, 2022

Featuring a special talkback session after the Friday showing with representatives from A Woman's Friend, and Planned Parenthood. If you have tickets for ANY night of the show you are welcome to attend.

ROE was funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

Meet the Cast and Crew!

Salma Alfaqeeh

ROXANNE MILLER-RODRIGUEZ


Natalie Batchelder

LINDA COFFE / JUDY / PEGGY / MARIAH / ELEANOR SMEAL

Amber Colvin

RONDA MACKEY / HELEN / GLORIA ALLRED / HOLLY HUNTER

Matt DeMeritt

CO-DIRECTOR / FLIP


Jordan Gannon

HENRY MCCLUSKY / ROBERT FLOWERS / BEAU

Montia Green

AILEEN / BARBARA / UMA /

FLO KENNEDY / DAVINA

Lawrence Hearn

JUSTICE BLACKMUN / FRED FRIENDLY

FRED GILMOUR / WADE

Betsy Johnson

CO-DIRECTOR / MARY / MOLLY /

KATE MICHAELMAN / MARY GILMOUR

Maysann Phelps

EMILY / MELISSA


Tanda Phelps

CONNIE GONZALEZ / OFELIA


MJ Quirk

SARAH WEDDINGTON


Hailey Warta

NORMA MCCORVEY


Aaron Watkins

SET DESIGN / RON WEDDINGTON / JAY FLOYD / MICHAEL MANHEIM

Lydia Crist

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Breakdown of Actors and Characters


From the Author: One actress is African American, one is Latina, one is Afro-Latina, and the other actors and actresses are white. We will attempt to cast characters who match the specified race as this play reflects the political and social dynamics of specific historical time periods and is based on real people. The casting needs to be true to that or the play, especially its power dynamics, will not make sense. As Sarah says in the beginning, "history is the result of shared experience...and is a reflection of multiple points of view--that are affected by race, religion, gender, sexuality, and class."


Except for adjustments with assigning minor characters that may vary from production to production, this is the breakdown of roles:


SARAH WEDDINGTON- 20's in Act One, 40's in Act Two, a few scenes in her 70's. A feminist, a great lawyer, charming, brilliant, private, funny in her own way, and quite composed. In real life, blonde and beautiful with big hair. Texan.


NORMA MCCORVEY- 20's in Act One, 40's in Act Two, a few scenes in her 70's. A funny, angry, hard drinking and drugging, irreverent lesbian Texan, with a hole in her heart. In real life, short, and they called her "Pixie."


CONNIE GONZALEZ- 40's in Act One, 60's in Act Two. An even-handed Tex Mex dyke and true Christian. Loyal, loving, unjudgemental, and maybe even wise.


FLIP BENHAM– 40's, the head of Operation Rescue. Passionate, folks y, fiery, earnest and persuasive, a good-looking guy and quite a preacher.


LINDA COFFEE- Late 20's, a shy, bright, socially awkward, and dedicated lawyer.


RON WEDDINGTON- 30's, a bright, ambitious, open and optimistic lawyer.


HENRY MCCLUSKEY—30's, an adoption lawyer, sensitive and compassionate, closeted gay.


JAY FLOYD- 40's, a lawyer in Wade's office, quite affable and effusive, if not brilliant.


ROBERT FLOWERS- 40's, a lawyer in Wade's office, smarter than Floyd, passionately pro-life.


RONDA MACKEY- 30's, pretty, warm, fair, a true believer.


EMILY—7, Ronda Mackey's daughter, a feisty angel.


ROXANNE MILLER-RODRIGUEZ- 20, an Afro-Latinx college student, working class, bright, emotional, a truth seeker.


AILEEN- 30's, down to earth, working class, African American lesbian nurse.


NORMA'S DOCTOR- 60's, brusque and superior.


ABORTION DOCTOR- 40's, played by a white actor, sometimes with a strange foreign accent.


JUDY— 20's, an early second-wave feminist, strong.


HELEN– 20's, a budding feminist, eager to get it right.


BARBARA- 20's or 30's, African American, well educated, no nonsense, wry feminist.


MOLLY— 50's, Texan, upper middle class, flirting with feminism.


MARY- 50's, Norma's mother, poor, tawdry, and a real mean drunk.


OFELIA- 40's, a housekeeper, Mexican. (Played by the actress who plays Connie.)


UMA- 30s, a Texas reporter.


PEGGY-30's, a Christian reporter.


GLORIA ALLRED- 40's, the feminist lawyer, quite strong.


FLO KENNEDY- African American feminist, wry, powerful.


KATE MICHELMAN–40's, well known feminist.


ELEANOR SMEAL- 40's, well known feminist.


FRED GILMOUR- A speech teacher.


MARY GILMOUR-A speech teacher.


TV NEWSMAN– 40's, important. (Act One)


TELEVISION NEWS REPORTER- Charming, ambitious. (Act Two)


FRED FRIENDLY- 60's, used to run CBS News.


MICHAEL MANHEIM- 40's, a Hollywood TV producer.


MELISSA -7, Norma's child, as she exits in her mind.


JUSTICE BLACKMUN— 60's, deliberate to a fault, torn, and thoughtful.


JUSTICES BURGER, WHITE, DOUGLAS, MARSHALL AND STEWART are the voices of the real justices, original voices on tape

CONVERGENCE THEATRE COMPANY

Find Us on a Plumas!

CTC makes our home at the historic Sutter Theater in downtown Yuba City. All performances, rehearsals, and auditions will be at this location unless otherwise specified. Come check us out!

754 Plumas St.

Yuba City, California

Call: (530) 742-2787

Bringing people together through

the power of theater

© 2022 Convergence Theatre Company In Partnership with Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture. All Rights Reserved.