Strauss Theatre Center is presenting "The Cover of Life," a play based in Louisiana during World War II, Oct. 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, and 20. The play tells the story of three women keeping the home fires burning while their husbands are at war.
Tood, Weetsie, and Sybill are brides in a town based on Bastrop and Sterlington in rural Louisiana. The three women each married a Cliffert brother. When the three brothers leave to fight in World War II, the young wives must "keep the home fires burning." Their story catches the eyes of Life Magazine, and Henry Luce assigns Kate Miller to the story.
According to Anita Breen of Strauss Theatre Center, many people may not realize the significance of the play. "This is early women's liberation, when the women not only had to 'keep the home fires burning,' but keep everything running," says Breen. "It says a lot about what women can do and their roles."
The play was written by Bastrop, Louisiana native Ronn Robinson. Robinson graduated from Northeast Louisiana University, now University of Louisiana Monroe, and performed at Strauss in his time here in Monroe. While the script states that the play is Sterlington, Robinson has stated in interviews that he based it off of Bastrop.
"The Cover of Life" is presented by Strauss Theatre Center on
- Thursday, October 11th at 7pm,
- Friday, October 12th at 7pm,
- Saturday, October 13th at 7pm,
- Sunday, October 14th at 2pm,
- Friday, October 19th at 7pm,
- Saturday, October 20th at 7pm.
More information about the Strauss Theatre Center is available here.