The Lycoming College Theatre Department will present the drama “Independence” by Lee Blessing on Feb. 8-9 and 14-16 at 8 p.m. in the college’s Mary L. Welch Theatre.

“Independence” is a penetrating look into the life of a family divided against itself in the small town of Independence, Iowa. The story blends humor and bitter truth as each member of this family of four searches for the personal path she must follow in order to discover her own sense of independence. As applauded by the Dallas Times Herald, “Blessing has a hair-trigger sensitivity to what families are saying and doing now, this minute. . . .”

The play is directed by Grechen Lynne Wingerter and features the acting talent of students and staff alike. Geralyn Mitchell, Lycoming’s student life coordinator and longtime theatre enthusiast, plays Evelyn, the controlling yet seemingly unstable mother of three grown daughters, each with her own interpretation of how best to handle mom. Kess, the eldest, played by junior Melissa M. Newman, is the prodigal daughter with a lingering urge to cut family ties permanently, yet still vying for her mother’s love. Jo, the middle child, played by sophomore Elizabeth Snow, dutifully continues caring for her mother at the cost of her own life, but not without serious hesitation. And then there is Sherry, a sharp-tongued and saucy teenager, played by junior Melody Weister, who wants nothing more than to finish school so she can leave home for good. Each daughter pursues independence in her own unique way as Blessing weaves their complex stories together with “a delicate balance of comic and tragic elements,” according to the Louisville News American.

A “Dinner and a Show” for the “Independence” will be held Friday, Feb. 8, at Lycoming’s Jane Schultz Room in the Wertz Student Center. The “Dinner and a Show” ticket will include the following Midwestern fare: French onion soup, country fried steak, smashed potatoes and gravy, corn, knot rolls and butter, with chocolate strawberry cheesecake. The doors of the Jane Schultz Room open at 6:15 p.m., with dinner served promptly at 6:30 p.m. for a leisurely dining experience before the 8 p.m. performance. Tickets for “Dinner and a Show” are $15 each and must be purchased at the box office in advance by calling 570-321-4048 by Monday, Feb. 4.

For tickets to Independence or the “Dinner and a Show,” stop by or call the Mary L. Welch Theatre Box Office, which is open Monday through Friday, noon to 4 p.m., starting Monday, Jan. 28, and at 6:30 p.m., before each performance. General admission tickets are $10 each; senior citizen and student tickets are $8 each. Special group rates are available by contacting the Box Office. Due to adult situations, Independence is suitable for ages 13 and older with parental discretion advised.  For more information, call the box office or visit www.lycoming.edu/boxoffice.

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