BRATTLEBORO — On Sunday, April 12, at 2 p.m., Brattleboro Area Hospice will host a staged reading of the end-of-life drama, Vesta, at the River Garden in downtown Brattleboro. Tea, cake, and discussion will follow. The event is offered free and open to the public.
Vesta is a 90-minute, seven-character play about the final five years of the title character's life. Vesta offers a warm and often humorous exploration of a family's struggle with a variety of end-of-life issues as they come to terms with the illness and death of Vesta Pierson, their matriarch.
The play provides an opportunity for reflection and community dialogue on fundamental questions surrounding death and dying. Told with humor and a keen understanding of the human condition, the play is a drama about families struggling to deal honestly with the everyday problems and mysteries of mortality.
Vesta's author, playwright Bryan Harnetiaux, has said, “The theater provides a safe harbor, a climate where you can look at these issues honestly, without fear of judgment. I have seen a willingness, almost a need, for people to tell their own stories.”
Directed by Burt Tepfer, the play's cast includes Nancy Stephens, Nan Mann, Louisa Strothman, Ben Stockman, Jon Mack, Jim Bombicino, and Mike Jerald.
Last year's seats filled up quickly, so an RSVP is recommended to guarantee a place.