Wimberley Players present ‘The Cover of Life’ opening Friday, April 29

“The Cover of Life,” by R. T. Robinson opens on the Wimberley Players stage April 29 and runs through May 22. Tood, Weetsie and Sybil are all brides in rural Louisiana in 1943. Each is married to a Cliffert brother. The men are off to war, and a local news story about these young wives keeping the home fires burning intrigues Life Magazine editor Henry Luce. He decides that they belong on the cover and assigns reporter Kate Miller to the story. She has been covering the war in Europe. Though she views doing a “women’s piece” as a career set-back, she accepts the assignment because it will be her first cover story. Kate spends a week with the Cliffert women. Her haughty urban attitude gives way to sympathy as she begins to understand them while coming face-to-face with her own powerlessness in a man’s world. Filled with charm and fun, “The Cover Of Life” is a deeply affecting story about the struggle for self-worth.

Playing Tood is newcomer to the Players stage, Lettie Dyer. Austin Strobel, also new to the Players, is playing Sybil. In the role of Weetsie is Meret Slover. Karen Rudy is playing the brides’ mother-in-law Aunt Ola. Reporter Kate Miller is played by Roxanne Strobel. In the role of the local reporter Addie May is Celeste Coburn, a WP regular.

“The Cover of Life” premiered off-Broadway at The American Place Theatre in 1994. The play is based on the life of the real Tood, Ollie Marzelle Fife, who was the playwrights’ mother. In a 1993 interview for the Hartford Courant, Robinson said, “The secret of great Southern writers is being born into a family of interesting, passionate women.” Robinson, who grew up in Bastrop, La., not far from the town the play is set in, said, “In my own mind, I just went and sort of sat in the living room with these women back in 1943 and listened to them talk.”

“This is a play about taking responsibility in an ever-changing life. This is a play about women who march in step to the established parade. But as the play progresses, we watch as they step out of formation and march to their own beat,” Director Tracy Arnold said.

Rounding out the creative team is Carroll Dolezal as Scenic Designer, Lighting Design by William Peeler, Costume Design by Kathy Maldonado and Hair and Makeup by Bridget Cook. “The Cover of Life” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

“The Cover of Life” will run for four weekends with twelve performances, both live and streaming, April 29 – May 22, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Season subscriptions for remaining 2022 productions with reserved seating is $88. Individual reserved seating is $22. Student tickets are $18 with ID. (Prices include all fees)

Live online streaming prices begin at $22 with Broadway on Demand

Live and streaming tickets are available at WimberleyPlayers.org or by phone 512-847- 0575

The Wimberley Players is located at 450 Old Kyle Road, Wimberley, five blocks east of the Wimberley Square.