LONGING is one woman’s story of a life through the 20th century. The kind of journey through wonder, love and tragedy that is only possible in the theatre. Barbara’s mother died giving birth to her and she was abandoned by both her father and the man who adopted her. Her aunt raised her as a single parent in California during the depression. She spent her life trying to find the lasting relationship that had eluded her as a child. Married twice during the war, she eventually met a man with whom she spent the next 35 years. This story, inspired by the author’s own mother and his relationship with her, explores Barbara’s search for love and her ongoing struggle to hold a marriage together through the turbulent years that followed. It is a true and inspiring story a woman’s courage to live her life for love, to rediscover what was lost.
Keywords: biography, woman, 20th century, romance
Genre: Biography
Acts: 2
Run time: 120 minutes
Content note: There are several scenes of that include trauma and abuse. This is a biography that spans one woman's life from 1919 to 2017. There are many scenes set in different times and places. There is no need for any kind of elaborate set.
Cast size: 8 actors
Male roles: 4
Female roles: 4
Casting note: There are 28 roles in this play. It can be cast with as few as 8 actors, though more are preferable. There are a number of minor roles that can be doubled. Most of these are male. Depending on directorial choices, there are 3 to 5 women playing the same character at different stages in her life. There are two major roles for older actors.