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.
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
ROXANNE MILLER-RODRIGUEZ
LINDA COFFE / JUDY / PEGGY / MARIAH / ELEANOR SMEAL
RONDA MACKEY / HELEN / GLORIA ALLRED / HOLLY HUNTER
CO-DIRECTOR / FLIP
HENRY MCCLUSKY / ROBERT FLOWERS / BEAU
AILEEN / BARBARA / UMA /
FLO KENNEDY / DAVINA
JUSTICE BLACKMUN / FRED FRIENDLY
FRED GILMOUR / WADE
CO-DIRECTOR / MARY / MOLLY /
KATE MICHAELMAN / MARY GILMOUR
EMILY / MELISSA
CONNIE GONZALEZ / OFELIA
SARAH WEDDINGTON
NORMA MCCORVEY
SET DESIGN / RON WEDDINGTON / JAY FLOYD / MICHAEL MANHEIM
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
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
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