The final instalment in Alumnae Theatre Company’s 2022-23 season is Michele Lowe’s String of Pearls. This fabulous production, directed by Barbara Larose, stars a wildly talented all-female cast, and tells a story which spans generations as well as the globe. String of Pearls is absolutely a must-see piece of theatre!

String of Pearls is like an adult version of “Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants”. While the story was very adult at times, it’s a fascinating story of a single string of pearls which makes its way into the possession of several different women from all walks of life. It travels through generations, countries, and bodies of water. Along the way, we learn the stories of the women who have worn the pearls, how they came about them, and how they came to loose them again. The story is woven together so beautifully and one part leads so naturally into the next.

This production features a truly ensemble cast of incredible actors: Natalie Stephenson, Annie Massey, Shannon Pitre, Kim Croscup, Valerie Carrier, Georgia Findlay, Sandy Ramdin, and Andrea Lyons. Each actor plays several characters and they were able to make each one unique and engaging. They each had very emotionally charged sections of the story, and they handled them so beautifully. An element I really enjoyed about their performances was how the scene changes were handled; in between each story, the actors who weren’t in the scene would help the next actors with their costume pieces or props for the next scene. Then, once everyone was ready, they would gather in two or three groups, and somehow make contact with one another: their arms around each other or holding hands, something to make physical contact, and then the next scene would begin. This had a very grounding effect, and also allows the actors to check in with each other briefly before the next part of the story begins.

String of Pearls is a beautiful glimpse at so many different facets of life through the journeys of these women and this beautiful necklace. It’ll make you laugh, cry, gasp, and smile in turn. For more information, visit: https://www.alumnaetheatre.com/string-of-pearls.html

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