White Plains Performing Arts Center's The Passion of the Hausfrau

“Bess Welden made it impossible not to laugh…Kids or no kids, this energetic woman’s portrayal of the crazy life and conflicting demands of a young mother…is comedic genius.” – The Portland Phoenix

WHITE PLAINS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Presents the New York Premiere of

THE PASSION OF THE HAUSFRAU
“A universal experience.” – The Boston Phoenix

Co-Written and Performed by BESS WELDEN
Co-Written by NICOLE CHAISON
Co-Written and Directed by ANNETTE JOLLES

FEBRUARY 3 – 13, 2011

Tickets are $39 ($29 previews) 
www.wppac.com or 877-548-3227
Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theatre Box Office (Hours: Monday-Wednesday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM;  Thursday & Friday 11:00 AM – intermission; Saturday 2:00 PM – intermission and Sunday 12:00 PM – intermission).

"The Passion of the Hausfrau" is a laugh-out-loud comedy about a mother who discovers that the roller coaster ride of raising young kids is actually the path to creating her own masterpiece. "The Passion of the Hausfrau" is the first hero’s journey (in the classic Joseph Campbell sense) from the point of view of the mother. Welden and Chaison wanted to show that “every mother is a hero: like James Joyce’s 'Ulysses,' 'The Passion of the Hausfrau' shows the heroism in daily life. In parenting, every day is a roller coaster of passion.”

The play follows the Hausfrau (which means “housewife” in German), her husband, two children and twenty other characters (all played by one actress) as she faces each challenge on The Road of Trials. Finally, like all heroes, she must plunge into the inferno and face her own demons in order to emerge victorious and ready to fulfill her creative self. Turning the classic hero myth on its head by making the central character a middle-aged mom, the play pokes fun at the mistakes parents make with an honest and irreverent humor. Over 100 original cartoon projections help tell the story and add an engaging visual layer that illuminates the text, much like a graphic novel.