(This Community Post was written by (UrbanArias) and underwritten by Embracing Arlington Arts.)
UrbanArias presents Why I Live at the P.O., a world premiere comedic opera based on the classic short story by Eudora Welty.
On the Fourth of July, Sister’s uneventful life is interrupted by the arrival of her sister, Stella-Rondo, who has just left her husband and returned to the family home in Mississippi with a child in tow. When Sister questions Shirley-T.’s dubious parentage, Stella-Rondo begins to turn the rest of family against her, starting with Mama, then Papa-Daddy, and finally their eccentric Uncle Rondo. At the end of the day, Sister has had enough. She collects her belongings and moves into the Post Office, where she is Postmistress.
This interpretation sees the character of Sister split into two actors. One is the Sister of the present, recalling the terrible day and the injustices she suffered at the hands of her family. The other is the Sister of the past, whom we observe in the drama, seeing her long suffering service and devotion to her family be completely disregarded upon the return of Stella-Rondo. Of course, the truth lies somewhere between these two perspectives, and the audience is left to decide whether Sister is truly “getting along fine.”
Why I Live at the P.O. runs April 30-May 7. Tickets available through the Keegan Theatre website.