Ma Rose
| Ma Rose | |
|---|---|
Samuel French cover art | |
| Written by | Cassandra Medley |
| Characters | Ma Rose Rosa Vera Ethel Wayman |
| Date premiered | October 11, 1988 |
| Place premiered | Ensemble Studio Theatre (1986) Women's Project Theater (1988) Eureka Theatre Company (1990) |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Intergenerational trauma, memory, spirituality |
| Genre | Fantastical realism |
| Setting | A small midwestern town Early December, 1980 |
Ma Rose is a play by Cassandra Medley. Originally produced as a one-act at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in June, 1986, the full-length play premiered Off-Broadway at Women's Project Theater in October, 1988. The following year, the play made its regional premiere at Eureka Theatre Company in San Francisco. Ma Rose was a 1989 finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.
The play explores Ma Rose, an aging Black matriarch who experiences visions that blur the lines between reality and the spiritual. Her children, concerned about her mental state, attempt to intervene, leading to familial tensions. The narrative delves into themes of memory, generational trauma, and the complexities of familial relationships.