Casting Notice

A Stroke of Inconvenience

By Vaughn Taylor and Megan Boles

Four generations of women in a “don’t call me till your dead world”.

Ever notice that love is a four letter word. Family should be! Sons turn into their fathers,
but women “morph” into a crazy combination of “mother generations” that are irritating
because they are so recognizable. Women don’t exactly turn into their mothers but rather,
like curly hair which might skip a generation, personalities from the past show up in all
of us, creating a dizzying combination of the good, the bad and the curly.

This play is about those generational curls and the insanity of four generations of women
coming together for Christmas which, thank goodness, comes but once a year. As they
gather to celebrate the holiday hidden secrets raise their ugly heads, and reveal the
hilarious, foolish and painful mistakes of the past. That is until a little known female
health issue brings all four face to face with mortality. The only thing worse than being
with each other, is being without each other. Medical insurance and preventable
issues throw gas on the fire as the term “just like mom” takes on new meaning.

This hilarious comedy takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions, some you’ll
recognize and the rest, well, just be thankful.

Copyright 2009
WGA Registration – 2009

Character Breakdown

ROSE – Nicknamed “Ran” she is the matriarch of the four generations of women in this
piece. Eccentric in ways that explain themselves later, Ran is obsessed with concerns
for her bodily functions. Married three times in an age when divorce didn’t happen she
mothered children that were dysfunctional before there was a name for it. Somewhere
between 75 years and death, Ran still gets around using a walker she may or may not
need and has an ongoing battle with the thermostat.

IVY – At 55 years the eldest of Ran’s two daughters is damaged goods. She compensates
with obsessive compulsive behavior to try to keep her world in order but at the same time
is unable to finish things. This is reflected in the fact that she went to college for years
but has never graduated. She also carries the burden of an ugly secret that Ran can no
longer remember or has chosen to forget. Though she believes in equality of the sexes,
women’s rights, racial equality and world peace she has realized that her party of choice
only believes in these things when convenient and has become politically bitter and
angry.

LILLIAN – Lil is Ivy’s 43 year old daughter. Her father, Ivy’s “husband”, died in a
plane crash when Lillian was an infant, or so the story goes. She has a Ph.D. in Sociology
but is completely lacking in compassion as well as common sense. She and her husband
Ron run a book store, ”Read on Read Street”, and she hates dealing with the public. She
is a recovering alcoholic and a “clutter queen” who is only organized when everything
is a mess. In spite of education, marriage and child birth, which she likes to think have
stabilized her emotionally, she harbors unresolved “father” issues.

IRIS – Iris is Lil’s daughter by her first marriage to Kevin. 19 years old she is a college
student just into her second year. A bit naïve she has an odd connection to her great
grandmother Ran but doesn’t see it. She is blithely unaware that Ran is not really her
great grandmother’s name and that many of her own habits mirror Ran’s. Sensitive and
beautiful she is not only the peace maker in this human menagerie she is the one to finish
what Ivy leaves partly done. Yet she is oddly unable to see the “bigger” picture.

Directed by: Vaughn Taylor
Production Dates: 9-29 thru 10-17, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 7PM, Sunday Matinee
Casting Location: Performing Arts San Antonio
15717 San Pedro (281 frontage road near Brook Hollow)
Saturday Aug 28th, 3PM to 6PM
Cold Reading from the script

FOR INFORMATION CALL: 210-557-1187 OR CONTACT US AT:
www.performingartssa.org