FL
O
RE
N
CE
Grace
& Glorie
C la s s A ct T he a t r e
o p e n s w i t h
h e a r t f el t p l a y
Tamara Szalewski as “Gloria” (left)
and Sue Sweatt as “Grace”
COURTESY PHOTOS
“G
race and
Glorie” by
Tom Ziegler
is a warm, funny, touching
and heartfelt play about two
strong women who are
thrown together by circum-
stances that neither can con-
trol. Their wildly different
backgrounds, but surprisingly
similar personalities, form the
basis for some great humor
and explosive drama.
8 • C OAST
Performances are at the Class Act Theatre on
Fridays and Saturdays, Aug. 5, 6, 12 and 13, at 7
p.m., and Sundays, Aug. 7 and 14, at 2 p.m.
Grace, played by veteran actress Sue Sweatt, is a
90-year-old feisty, cantankerous, self-described
“backwoods redneck.” She has recently been dis-
charged from the hospital and just wants to live out
her final days in her tiny cabin near her beloved
apple trees.
In a conversation about Grace, Sue Sweatt said,
“She is immensely strong, especially in her resist-
ance to the roles expected of her. (She) rebelled the
only way she knew how… Her crisis of faith due to
pain and fear ask the questions we all want
answered. The fact that she has followed her beliefs
is amazing.”
Gloria, played by veteran stage and TV actress
Tamara Szalewski, is a newly relocated high-pow-
ered New York City executive. She has traded her
big city art galleries and opera for a new position as
a local Hospice volunteer. Grace is her third client.
Gloria just wants to help, but she has her own
issues regarding death and dying.
She is “struggling for answers (and) understand-
ing,” says Szalewski. “Life takes all of us, and life
C ENTRAL • A rt s & E n t e r ta in me n t • A UG U S T 2 0 16
takes everything we have to give. You do not get to
choose what happens to you, but you do get to
choose how you respond.”
The play is co-directed by Paula Lindekugel-
Willis and James Wellington, both of Florence.
“The show has dual directions” said Lindekugel-
Willis. “Natural humor evolves from the contrasting
characters and their different backgrounds.”
“And, each character has to learn to accept death
in their own ways” added Wellington. “The show is
an amazing mix of humor and drama.”
“Grace and Glorie” is the perfect opening play
for the first season of Florence’s newest live theater
venue, the Class Act Theatre (CAT).
Bringing an intimate live performance venue to
Florence is a dream come true for owner/producers
David and Rosemary Lauria.
They purchased the building in February 2015
and have spent the last year and a half working on
its transformation.
Now complete, they hosted a free grand opening
show on July 9 and by all accounts the space was
all they had hoped it would be.
See
CAT page 12