One actress portrays three First Ladies in whimsical and moving show

onStage at Connecticut College presents “TEA FOR THREE: Lady Bird, Pat & Betty,” a behind-the-scenes look at three influential U.S. First Ladies, on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. in Evans Hall, Cummings Arts Center.

One actress portrays all three women in the show: Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon and Betty Ford. Elaine Bromka came up with the idea for “TEA FOR THREE” while she was starring as eight First Ladies opposite Rich Little in the PBS and stage show “The Presidents.” Audience members will recognize the Emmy-winning Bromka from numerous appearances on film, television and the stage, including “Girls,” “E.R.,” “The Sopranos,” “Law and Order,” “Playing for Time,” “The Rose Tattoo,” “Macbeth” and “Uncle Buck.”

In an interview about “TEA FOR THREE,” which she co-wrote with Eric H. Weinberger, Bromka said, “These were women of intelligence and grit who suddenly found themselves in a fishbowl. I realized I wanted to tell the story from their point of view.” 

The result is a heartwarming look at the evolving role of women during challenging, dynamic moments in history. And it is for those reasons that Director of Arts Programming Rob Richter ’82 deliberately slated the “TEA FOR THREE” performance to follow the midterm elections.

“The heavy-handed campaigning that goes on during election season can make us forget that, despite outward signs in some cases, politicians and their families are human,” he said. “Elaine Bromka’s skills as an actress, plus a great script, humanizes these three iconic women who have what Pat Nixon called ‘the hardest unpaid job in the world.’”

Tickets are $18, $16 for seniors and $9 for students. For tickets and information, call 860-439-2787 or visit onstage.conncoll.edu.

 

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October 17, 2014