Tood, Weetsie, and Sybill are brides in rural Louisiana in 1943. Each married a Cliffert brother. The men are off to war and a local news story about these young wives keeping the home fires burning intrigues Henry Luce. He decides that they belong on the cover of Life Magazine and assigns Kate Miller to the story. She has been covering the war in Europe and, though she views doing a “women’s piece” as a career set-back, she accepts because it will be her first cover story. Kate spends a week with the Cliffert women and her haughty urban attitude gives way to sympathy as she begins to understand them while coming face-to-face with her own powerlessness in a man’s world. Filled with charm and fun, The Cover of Life is a deeply affecting story about the struggle for self worth.

Reviews:

“A Picture Perfect Play” – New York Times

“The kind of roles actresses dream of. Robinson’s writing has a warm, rural flavor and [the] conflicts are laced with a poignant urgency.” – Variety

“Vivid.” – Newark Star Ledger

“Stirring and funny.” – Teaneck Daily Record

Cast and Crew:

Jill Cook as Kate Miller
Jessica Carillo as Tood Cliffert
Molly Callahan as Sybil Cliffert
Abigail Milnor-Sweetser as Weetsie Cliffert
Amy Losi as Aunt Ola
Maia Nero as Addie Mae
Thomas Kalnas as Tommy Cliffert

Directed by Stephen Miller
Stage Manager – Renee Shubert
Set Design – Tony White
Sound and Lighting Design – Ken Coughlin
Front Of House Manager – James Toback

Seamstress – Chrissy Menfi
Assistant Stage Manager – Daniella Wilson
Assistant Stage Manager – Natalia Vieira

The newly-revived The Cover of Life is a family affair both on-stage and off-stage. Director Stephen S. Miller shares with us his exuberance and anticipation in bringing to life a work written by his late uncle, R.T. Robinson, which includes a strong character modeled after and named for his own mother. How long have you had this revival in the works? What was your process of bringing it to the stage? Overall, the idea of reviving this production has been mulling around in my mind for the past 20+ years of my life. I had a desire as I was growing up after losing my uncle to bring the show back to stage. He was such an important part of my life growing up, spending time with him and being part of the process of the theater. When I had the chance to do it recently, I finally broke out everything that was building up in my mind that would allow for this show to be successful in the great memory of my dear uncle Ronn. The process of bringing it back to the stage involved communication with some of the family pertaining to the show, including my mother who the role of “Kate Miller” was named after. As well as research of what my uncle had completed through the process of bringing this t …Read more