Jack Garrison
associate professor of theatre, 308.865.8409
A celebrated 1930s murder in France is the focus of the university theatre production of “My Sister In This House,” which opens Wednesday, Feb. 16, at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
“My Sister In This House” is based on a 1933 murder case in which two French sisters who worked as maids murdered their employers in their own home. Under the direction of Jack Garrison, UNK associate professor of theatre, the play explores the possible motives that could have led the sisters to commit murder.
“The play is based on the most sensational murder case in 20th century France,” Garrison said. “It was sort of the O.J. Simpson murder of France, and it was notorious.”
According to Garrison, the two sisters, after working as maids for six years, brutally murdered the mother and daughter they worked for.
The play attempts to explain why these two women committed the crime. “My Sister In This House” retells what took place leading up to the murder and what happened to the women to make them commit such a crime.
“This is a very strong women’s studies case focusing on the oppression of the two sisters who came from a dysfunctional family,” Garrison said. “The mother and daughter who employed the sisters as maids never spoke to them in the six years they worked there.”
“My Sister In This House” is a contemporary American play, which consists of only four female characters. The play does not depict the actual murder, but leads right up to the event.
“The play is a character study,” Garrison said. “…a study of four characters, who wouldn’t usually be associated with this activity, and tries to explain why they did what they did.”
According to Garrison, there were no witnesses to the crime, and the French have continued to be fascinated with it for nearly 80 years. Movies, novels and psychological thrillers are still being written about the case.
“What’s so fascinating about the crime is to this day no one knows why the sisters did it,” Garrison said.
Garrison emphasized that “My Sister In This House” contains mature subject matter and is not recommended for children.
“My Sister In This House” performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 16-19, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, in the Studio Theatre, which is located on the lower level of the UNK Fine Arts Building.
Admission is free to UNK students; $7 for adults; and $5 for UNK faculty/staff, non-UNK students and seniors. For tickets, or more information, contact the Theatre Box Office at 308.865.8417 or boxoffice@unk.edu.
The cast and crew are listed below, alphabetically by hometown.
Cast
DAVID CITY- Megan Buresh, Isabelle
OMAHA- Rachael Hill, Lea
WINSIDE- Brittany Greunke, Christine
OUT OF STATE
KANSAS
MANHATTAN– Carolyn Wirtz, Madame Danzard
Stage Management/ Technical Direction
FREMONT– Jamie Bentley, assistant stage manager
OMAHA– Crystal Schroeder, assistant stage manager
OUT OF STATE
SOUTH DAKOTA
PIERRE– Nate White, technical director
