The fifth and final play in our 79th season is The Grass Harp, an adaptation of the 1951 novel by the acclaimed Truman Capote. The story is filled with the colorful characters and rich dialogue that made Capote such a beloved author.
After his mother's death, Collin Talbo, a 16 year-old boy, goes to live with his aunts—the wealthy, avaricious, and controlling Verena Talbo, and her compliant, earthy sister Dolly. When a city slicker comes to town and convinces Verena to market Dolly’s locally-famous tonic, Dolly finally gets some backbone, refuses to divulge the formula, and heads for a treehouse with Collin and Catherine, the loyal maid. Verena, who has most of the town in her pocket, sics the law on the renegades. Dolly, Catherine, and Collin find a supporter in a retired judge, Charlie Cool, who’s attracted to Dolly. Will Verena’s venom win out? And what about that city slicker?
“This southern world is a generous place to Truman Capote, and it has mercies to give and lessons to be learned ... But as the characters learn about themselves, so we learn too, about what love is, about change, and about what we accept in life.” — John Sollami
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