My Sister In This House
My Sister In This House is an award-winning play written by Wendy Kesselman in 1980. It is based on a true incident that occurred in France in 1933; the brutal murders of a woman and her daughter by two young sisters who lived with and served as their domestics. At the Deaf West Theatre in North Hollywood Michael Unger has directed a superb company of actors in this foreboding production.
The Papin sisters, Christine (Deanne Bray voiced by Rebecca Johnson, regularly Darrin Revitz) and Lea (Amber Zion voiced by Lindsay Evans) had abusive childhoods and were raised in a convent. They have been employed by class conscious Madame (Casey Kramer) and her flippant daughter Isabelle (Jennifer Losi) who fritter their days away in idleness. Their treatment of Christine and Lea is austere (Madame even checks every inch of the house for dust with a white glove.). But Christine and Lea are in no position to complain or to leave their jobs and find solace in their closeness with each other which seems to vex Madame. What eventually occurs in the play reveals what can happen when emotions are pushed to the brink.
Madame’s house is a lovely two-story set by Tom Buderwitz, lighting by Leigh Allen, costume design by A. Jeffrey Schoenberg. Other cast members include Dan Callaway (voice of medical examiner and Judge, regularly played by Troy Kotsur as well as Court Interpreter and voiced by Matthew Jaeger).
Ed Waterstreet, Artistic Director of Deaf West Theatre founded the theatre in 1991, the first resident theatre company in America under the direction of a deaf artistic director. It is the only professional resident Sign Language theatre west of the Mississippi. Their work is always exceptional and I highly recommend My Sister In This House. It will continue through May 30.
Deaf West Theatre
5112 Landershim Blvd.
North Hollywood
Ticket Information: Online at www.DeafWest.org, or (818) 762-2773