Pruning the Famliy Tree

Thursday, February 23, 2012 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 24, 2012 7:30 p.m. 
Saturday, February 25, 2012 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 26, 2012 2:00 p.m. 

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Bartlesville Community Center and Terrace Level Players present a Dan Gordon play. Kathy Stewart, Kimberly Wright, Candace Smith and Renee Michaels star in this dramatic comedy.

There's a loud cry in this country for a return to family values, but who defines those values? Pruning the Family Tree is a black comedy about four women from one family who gather for a funeral and end up showing us that a family’s values aren’t always what they seem.

Joe Casey has just died and his family has gathered at the Casey house for the upcoming funeral. We first meet Joe's wife of forty years, Marilyn. The marriage between these two was motivated by social expectation, not love. In keeping with the tradition in this type of marriage, Marilyn held the family together. Then there's Joe's youngest daughter, Barb. Barb has a slight physical handicap and at age 36 still lives at home. She has grown very dependent on Marilyn, out of habit not necessity. Next is Ellen, Joe's oldest daughter. Ellen left home when, at 18, she got pregnant and married. Since her divorce she has been independent, avoiding commitment and responsibility. Finally, there's Ellen's daughter Christy. Since her parents divorce Christy has lived with her father and for the last 10 years she has struggled to develop a relationship with Ellen, something Ellen has been avoiding. Christy's memories of the family are childhood memories of weekends at grandma's house, playing scrabble and drinking coke floats.

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