Share some laughs, benefit women’s studies

Local actors Liz Willis and Jean Ann Cusick will play the leads in "Parallel Lives," a hilarious play about women and their take on life, death, and the struggle between the sexes. Their performance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4, in Wilner Auditorium will benefit the Center for Women’s Studies’ Words by Women literary series.

The play, directed by Dick Welsbacher and Joyce Cavarozzi, opens with two female angels designing the world. Afraid of the jealousy that the ability to bear children will spark, the angels try to "take the shine off" childbirth by throwing out potential downsides like "I know, let’s make it messy" and other absurd-sounding ideas that turn out to be true.

Based on "The Kathy and Mo Show," the play was written by Kathy Najimy and Mo Gaffney. Najimy is best known for her sidekick role in Kirstie Alley’s sitcom "Veronica’s Closet" and her recurring roles in the "Sister Act" movies.

"Parallel Lives" won two Cable Ace awards and an Obie Award, and it has received rave reviews across the country. Variety dubbed it "... a romp with a feminist sensibility; it’s humor for a post-Lily Tomlin generation. ... Above all, ‘Parallel Lives’ is a smart, provocative show."

The performance of "Parallel Lives" will be followed by "A Parallel Party," an after-party celebration in the WSU Ulrich Museum of Art across the street from Wilner Auditorium. Admission to the party is free to all ticketholders.

"We are celebrating the success of our fund-raising campaign," said Dorothy Miller, chair of the WSU Center for Women’s Studies. "And we are ready to laugh and have fun with a Girls’ Night Out kind of evening."

The play benefits the endowment campaign for Wichita’s longest running literary series — the Words by Women series — which since 1981 has showcased local and national women writers reading from their work.

Tickets for "Parallel Lives" are $10. Priority seating is available for $50. For tickets, call 978-3233.