by The Winona Art Center, 228 East Fifth Street, presents “First Ladies Trilogy” on March 15 and 16 in conjunction with Women’s History Month. First Ladies Bess Truman (1945-53), Mamie Eisenhower (1953-61), and Jackie Kennedy (1961-63) will appear in live stage performances over two nights.
Each First Lady will be presented once. Bess Truman, portrayed by the playwright, will appear in a 90-minute performance, including a coffeehouse intermission, on Friday, March 15, beginning at 7 p.m. Mamie Eisenhower and Jackie Kennedy will appear separately, but in a double bill, on Saturday, March 16, from 7-9 p.m., with a coffeehouse dividing the two performances. Lacey Korb portrays Jackie Kennedy, and Kuhlmann portrays Mamie.
“What is particularly interesting about these First Ladies is that they are so different from each other. Different personalities, different styles, and with husbands whose presidencies, one after another, create an important snapshot of pivotal U.S. history at mid-twentieth century,” the playwright notes. Kuhlmann promises that the portrayals will be of interest not just for Women’s History Month, but also because we are in a presidential election year.
Playwright Kay Sebring-Roberts Kuhlmann created all three of the one-woman pieces under commission of the National Archives. The three solo plays have been performed at eight presidential libraries in the past three decades. Now, Winona audiences can see them in a two-evening series.
Tickets are available at Music Mart (formerly Hardt’s Music) until March 15 at 4 p.m. and on Eventbrite. The Friday performance is $15; the Saturday double bill is $20. To attend both evenings and see all three performances, patrons can purchase a Trilogy Pass for $30. All ticket prices increase by $5 at the door.
