'Saint Frances of Hollywood', by Sally Clark, at the Manhattan Theatre Source
Manhattan TheatreSource presents Saint Frances of Hollywood, by Sally Clark and directed by Daryl Boling, at the manhattantheatre source from the 13 Jul - 6 Aug 2005.
Luminous screen star Frances Farmer refuses to play by anyone else's rules. At the height of her film career, she turns her back on Hollywood, joining the socialist Group Theatre in New York. A failed relationship with playwright Clifford Odets sends Farmer back to Hollywood where she faces harassment for her contempt of the studio system and her alleged communist beliefs. Struggling with an addiction to pills, she is confined, with the aid of her mother, to a Seattle psychiatric hospital.
Playwright Sally Clark examines artistic integrity, political dissent and self determination and portrays Frances Farmer as a patron saint of tortured, yet resilient souls.
Saint Frances of Hollywood stars Sarah Ireland (Frances Farmer), Sharon Fogarty (Lillian Farmer), Hank Davies (Ernest Farmer), Dave Bachman (Clifford Odets), Fiona Jones (Louella Parsons), Kendra Kohrt (Luis Rainer), Jeffrey Plunkett (Dr. Betelguese), Michael Shattner (Dr. Nicholson), Jeff Broitner (Bill Anderson) and Lex Woutas (Judge Frater).
The play is directed by Daryl Boling, with set design by Bruce Dean, costumes by Michael Bevins, lighting by Stephen Arnold and sound by Andrew Bellware.
Sally Clark is an award-winning Canadian playwright whose work includes 'The Trial of Judith K.' and 'Life without Instruction.' In 1990, she received the Chalmers Award.
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