The bond between siblings is a universal one, full of the best of times and the worst of times. The ETSU Division of Theatre sponsors a play by Linda Eisenstein that showcases these moments is sponsored this fall, featuring a cast of a deceased father and his three daughters. In the play the sisters meet after their father’s death to sort through his belongings and their own relationships.
Pat Cronin plays Albert, Cara Harker plays Kathleen, Erin Scowden plays Irene and Melissa Tate will play the part of Mary. The play was directed by Pamela Adolphi, who drew upon her own relationship with her five sisters for insight into the play and its characters.
“I took a lot of personal experiences and used them in my directing because I can relate as to what sisters would do, how they look at their parents and their perceptions of the relationships with each other and with their parents, as well as what they took away from their parents,” Adolphi said. “My sisters and I have totally different perceptions of our father. None of it is the same. There’s some resentment there. It’s still present but we’ve learned to accept it and move on. That’s a lot like the play, with Irene and Kathleen especially.”
The play is guaranteed to make the audience laugh and cry, possibly both at the same time. Adolphi is currently working on her master’s in the professional communications program. Directing the play was her thesis.
Harker, playing Kathleen, is a graduate student with the MAT program. Harker and Adolphi were both interviewed in the billiards hall Neuman’s, while Harker was waiting to get a lesson in pool.
Kathleen was an interesting character for Harker, since she is the youngest in her family with three older sisters.
“It really is different being the leader of the group. My sister is the leader of the pack in our family and like Kathleen she’s a little angry sometimes when rallying the troops. I have a wonderful relationship with my older sister but she’s the one that’s got to get the little ones through everything. You do whatever you can to take care of them.”
Even if you have no sisters or siblings that you could relate the play to, Harker said that Cronin was one of the best reasons for seeing the play.
Cronin, playing Albert, is the head of the Fine and Performing Arts Division of the Honors College. Eisenstein initially suggested the play and the role of Albert to him with the words, “Boy, do I have a role for you.”
Cronin liked the dynamic of the siblings and their relationships to each other.
In the end, this play promises to be something that hasn’t been seen over and over again.
“It’s exciting to work on a piece that’s not been done to death,” Cronin said.
If audiences want to laugh, cry, and realize that their own families aren’t so weird after all, this is the play to see.
“I think that what I would like the audience to walk away from the play with is a sense of family and acceptance. Of how their individual families work, how the individuals within their family work and how to love people for who they are.”
“It’s togetherness, family, that’s what I hope to accomplish,” Adolphi said.
“Three the Hard Way” will run from tonight-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Admission is $10 for the public and $5 for students with valid I.D.
Sign language will be available for the hearing impaired on opening night, tonight.
Tickets are available at the door or by phone at 439-7576 or online at www.etsu.edu/theatre. For more information, call 439-6511.

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