Gloria: A Life

Gloria: A Life is playing at the Daryl Roth Theatre located at 101 East 15th Street. It runs two hours with no intermission. The play is open ended.

Gloria Steinem was born on March 25, 1934. She is a feminist, journalist, social published activist who became nationally recognized as a leader and spokeswomen for the American movement in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.

Emily Mann is the playwright. She won the Tony Award for best play in 2013 for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.

Christine Lahti was last seen on Broadway in 2009 God of Carnage. She’s played Laurel Hitchin in NBC Blacklist (2015-2017). Christine was nominated for an Academy Award for Swing Shift (1984).

Gloria (Christine Lahti) realizes early in life things are limited for a women to do. She embarks in a career as a journalist. Women weren’t given assignments very challenging. Society felt women’s job was to be married and raise a family. Men ruled a women’s life. To break out of this shell she went undercover and became a Playboy Bunny. Just to get an insider view first hand.

Throughout the play we learn about her life and the how she help change the conception on what a women was supposed to be, to what she wanted to be.

White women were supposed to stay home but African American women had to raise a family, work and even help raise someone else’s family.

Some of the things brought up were abortion and women’s right to vote and to be heard.

There is a pause between the first and second act. The second act is a talking center for women to talk about the show and share their experience. Things they say are very touching. Gloria Steinem joined the actors on the stage.

To tell who and what she did will spoil the play. But of course you could read about to find out. But then again it wouldn’t have the impact on you as it did in person.

The theatre is in the round. There is a minimal set. On the two large walls picture are put on from time to time. The cast brings out props and sometime clothes.

The ensemble is made up of Joanna Glushak, Frances Fernandez McKenzie, Fedna Jacquet, Patrena Murray, DeLanna Studi and Liz Wisan. All the actresses play both male and female roles. We know the gender by the clothes.

The cast is incredible.

This is a must see show especially for women. Who hasn’t heard of Gloria Steinem. But now we get to know who she is and what she did for all women. We have come a long way but somethings are being threated, like abortion rights.

I will not get on a platform and preach but I will say go see this play yourself to learn what a remarkable women she is.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.

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