A debut play written by Kim E. Ruyle, Kalispell, explores the dynamics of a western Montana logging family. A plot that sizzles and characters that bristle with vitality. A volatile redneck patriarch. A doting matriarch. Four sons, including a plastic surgeon, a fashion designer, a televangelist, and a hapless alcoholic. One daughter, an occasional lounge singer who runs her own construction company. And an insightful immigrant couple. Throw them all together and you get hilarity, rivalry, and mayhem. A Thanksgiving holiday brings this dysfunctional family together and forces them to confront their biases, broken relationships, and a series of crises that careen between tragic and hilarious.
Cast:
BUD HAMILTON 70s, hard-working, and bigoted. He’s tough, opinionated, intolerant, and protective. Has run the Bud Hamilton Logging Company for many years.
CORA HAMILTON 70s, the family matriarch; blindly loyal to Bud; dotes on her children.
CLEVE HAMILTON 40s-50s, oldest son; alcoholic; seeks approval of others but can’t maintain relationships; a disappointment to everyone, especially Bud.
BRUCE HAMILTON 40s-50s, 2nd son; successful plastic surgeon living in Seattle; not gay, but maybe hard to tell – he’s an articulate metro-sexual who is experiencing a bit of mid-life crisis.
JEFFREY HAMILTON 40s-50s, 3rd son; successful fashion designer living in New York City; like Bruce, a metro-sexual, but married with kids.
CLIFFORD HAMILTON 40s-50s; 4th son; former car salesman turned church pastor in Missoula and televangelist host of religious sportsmen’s show.
CLAIRE HAMILTON 40s-50s, attractive, confident, feminine but tough; CEO of a successful construction company she founded in Great Falls, an avid sportswoman, and occasional lounge singer.
DRAGOS IBANESCU 30s, Romanian immigrant and proprietor of the Sit-a-Spell Cafe′.
TULLIA IBANESCU 30s, wife and partner in café business with Dragos.
TIFFANY 30s, attractive tart; director of God, Geese, and Grizzlies.
Note: Tullia and Tiffany are to be played by the same actor.
