←Recommendations of A Poison Squad of Whispering Women

Wow! The historical context, the comic elements, the moral ambiguity, the specificity of the characters, the very high stakes, the subject matter, the use of language, the evocative atmosphere - all these things made this play a great read and an important piece of theater. This is yet another play by Kelly McBurnette-Andronicos that I really want to see fully staged!

The depth of character and use of language in A POISON SQUAD OF WHISPERING WOMEN really knocked me off my feet. It's a historical play, that feels immediate and on the pulse of what's happening in our country right now. It's no surprise that this was a finalist for Playwright Foundation's festival this year, I hope that it finds more development and production opportunities. Really well done.

The language of this work is poetic and perfectly reflective of the time in which its set. It is completely and beautifully symbolic that the white women through their lot in with the Klan to their ruin. Impactful and expertly created.

Great roles for women and a detailed view of a subculture from another time are what you'll encounter in this play. That she's able to make KKK members sympathetic speaks to the brilliance of the pen of McBurnette-Andronicos. A powerful reminder that you don't mess with a determined group of women.

Kelly began researching this play before Trump was elected, but now it is painfully topical. Set in 1924, the play shows us good women who accept the KKK as part of their community, but who find themselves fighting against the Klan’s excesses. The characters are each a combination of clarity and foolishness, community spirit and backstabbing. And they are wonderfully created by their language—the flapper, the old Suffragette, the nice Midwestern lady. This will keep audiences glued to their seats, despite the complexity of the characters and their uncomfortable ideas. People need to see it.

A powerful, blistering play centering around a small town in Indiana in 1924, where Klan membership is the passport to prosperity, Catholicism is frowned upon, and storms, both literal and figurative, are stirring. "Poison Squad" boasts suspenseful, crafted dialogue and five wonderfully strong roles for women. On the technical side, the play presents a chance for designers to delve into the nuances of Pearlene Hightower's exquisite house, with the playwright using virtually every inch of the stage to her, and the story's, advantage. This is definitely a storm worth riding out!

"A Poison Squad of Whispering Women" weaves together revenge, hospitality, small-mindedness, religion, civic pride, women's rights, profiteering from lies, and agency. The five women's roles are multi-dimensional as these characters are both heroic and terribly flawed.

This play of white supremacy/nationalism, abuse, gossip, and vengeance is ripe with theatrical potential and unfolds at a taut, compelling pace. During a thunderstorm, Sylvia stumbles into a KKK-infused “model American town” that conceals nefarious activities behind community do-gooding. Through vibrant, strong female characters, powerful language, and a breathtaking sense of impending danger, a brewing whirlwind unfolds. Both the weather and Sylvia’s moral compass go haywire when an unlikely gaggle of women unexpectedly unites to create its own tornado. The play and its rich subtext deeply resonate with our “post-truth” and increasingly nationalistic times.