A Poison Squad of Whispering Women by Kelly McBurnette-Andronicos

FULL LENGTH - In 1924, an unlikely union of women lead a righteous whisper campaign against the Grand Dragon of the Indiana Klan, exacting a bitter reckoning that ends in the brutal murder of one of their own.
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A Poison Squad of Whispering Women

Recommended by

  • Ky Weeks:
    1 Mar. 2021
    “ Exceptionally well-written, plunged in secrets, twists, and the inescapable gravity of its historical reality. The dialogue demands close attention, in the layers of its plot, in the depth and complexities of each character, and in the sheer skill of the writing. And that attention is rewarded with an exhilarating ending. ”
  • Cheryl Bear:
    24 Feb. 2021
    “ A riveting political plot unfolds as these fierce women rise up against the KKK and corruption with bravery and tenacity! Well done. ”
  • Beatrice Casagran:
    12 Aug. 2020
    “ This play is well constructed and captivating. Aside from shedding light on history of which I was totally unaware, its presentation of the politics and social dynamics that gave rise to the Women's Klan in the 1920s has strong resonance with current events. The language is vivid and memorable and the characters are surprising in all the right ways. The intersection of emerging feminism and xenophobic and racist views would seem unlikely. Yet Andronicus deftly weaves them together to present characters that are enigmatic, flawed, and very human. Our audience loved this piece. Still talking about it a week later. ”
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Character Information

  • SYLVIA OTIS
    30s,
    White
    ,
    Female
    Professor, researcher and recent divorcee from Chicago. Focused and stoic, she is driven to complete her non-fiction book on the model American town. She probably drinks and smokes too much.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • OPAL HIGHTOWER
    20s,
    White
    ,
    Female
    College student and flapper. Educated, flirtatious, and high-spirited, she prefers to be called ‘Liberty.’ Both affectionate and mocking with her aunt.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • PEARLENE HIGHTOWER
    50s, 60s,
    White
    , Array
    Opal’s verbose aunt, owner of the boarding house, and a still politically active former Suffragette. She walks with a noticeable limp.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • DELL GUFFEY
    40s,
    White
    ,
    Female
    Live-in housekeeper and low-level civic official. She is Midwestern friendly but also hard, rustic, ambitious, and entitled by her religion.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • EULA ROMAN
    20s,
    Latinx/Mixed
    ,
    Female
    A mole masquerading as a transitory stranger. She speaks with an indiscernible Eastern European accent.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic, Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • ADOLPHUS BECK
    40s,
    White
    ,
    Male
    Charismatic, suave, and attractive congressional candidate with a penchant for women and an obsession for ‘Liberty’ Hightower.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Something Something Theatre Company
    ,
    2019
  • Reading
    ,
    Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette
    ,
    2017

Production History

  • Workshop
    ,
    Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette
    ,
    2020

Awards

Individual Artists Grant
,
Indiana Arts Commission
,
2020
Semi-Finalist
,
2020 Plays in Progress
,
Athena Project
,
2019
Winner
,
World Premiere Staged Reading of a New Play
,
Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette
,
2017