September 1987. The edge of town. Gloria opens her door to the woman she hasn’t seen since she disappeared from home ten years ago. Mary sees the face that has haunted her memories of childhood and dreams of womanhood. But the reflection that the women seek in each other is distorted by the years of silence. How did they get here? Did one of them take a wrong turn, or were they driven apart?

A thrillingly intimate drama, Sheila pits two women against the world. Not to conquer it—to survive it. But what chance do they have to decide the terms of that survival?

I cannot think of a time that I’ve seen a more prescient piece of theatre than Sheila by The Associates, playing now at The A.R.T./New York Theatres. This dedicated company of players has mounted a devastating play that encompasses core concepts from both the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. At the play’s opening we find Gloria, who has just returned to a furnished apartment in her hometown. Not long after her arrival, she is visited by an old friend, Mary. As the two young women navigate their way through the awkward homecoming with tentative questions, we see a glimmer of discomfort in their newfound proximity. Gloria’s stunning abandonment of their friendship years earlier has taken a serious toll on them both; the vacancy created in their lives will be challenging to negotiate. It’s not just that they’ve grown up; they’ve grown apart and they are very different people. Mary, now an R.N. at a local hospital is full of duty. Gloria is a free spirit. Eventually Mary reveals that she has come to ask Gloria why she suddenly left town years ago to live on a commune. Gloria’s answer is chilling. At the center of this devastating work of art is Sheila (played powerfully by Emily Stout w …Read more