Nothing brings women together like tulle, trauma and a shared distaste for the bride.
“Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” tells the story of a group of bridesmaids who escape the chaos of a society wedding by hiding out in the bedroom of the bride’s younger sister. She’s also a bridesmaid.
The Iola Community Theatre presents the play at 7 Friday night and Saturday at the ICT Warehouse, directed by Paige Shauf-Olson of Piqua.
The play is set in 1993 but feels timely and relevant for the #MeToo era. It raises questions about how empowered modern women reconcile their feelings for men, societal expectations, wounds of the past — and even each other. It’s a fast-paced and hilarious romp, particularly relatable to anyone who’s ever been forced to squeeze into an ill-fitting abomination of a garment intentionally designed not to upstage the bride.
In this case, the bride is never seen, making her the perfect target for gossip, speculation and a stroll down memory lane. Each of the women have a very different background but ultimately find they have a lot more in common beyond wearing the same dress. 
IT’S DIFFICULT to imagine a more perfectly cast crew of women (and one man).
Talulabel Gilpin delivers a stunning performance as Meredith, the bride’s younger sister who desperately wants to escape the forced cheerfulness of the wedding. She seeks refuge in her bedroom, then ultimately confesses her deepest, darkest secrets to the comforting bosoms of other women. Gilpin expertly uses sarcasm and scorn to hide her pain. She shines brightest in the quiet, vulnerable moments.
Jenna Morris, a veteran in her third ICT show, lends a sweet naivety to the “weird cousin” role of Frances. She’s a devout Christian (as she reminds the audience again and again) who would deny that she’s ever tempted to sin though her actions speak otherwise. 
Enter the always-entertaining Kate Vernon as Georgeanne, delightfully drunk and distraut. She’s struggling in her marriage and runs into an ex-lover at the wedding — who is also the bride’s ex-boyfriend. Vernon’s versatility and dramatic flair hit just the right notes as she delivers some of the most powerful insights, including this line during a monologue about how women diminish themselves for men: “… All those times I sat waiting for his phone call, me going out of my way to make things convenient for him.”
Rhi Jordan, another ICT veteran, tackles one of the heavier roles in Mindy, the groom’s lesbian sister. The play’s setting in the early ‘90s offers a slightly dated reminder of how far society has come on LGBT rights; a group of modern bridesmaids probably wouldn’t be quite as shocked and uncomfortable having a lesbian in their midst. But Jordan’s cheerful and effervescent yet sincere approach to the role sets her up as a sort of role model. A goofy, hungry and clumsy role model, perhaps, but still a mentor.
Halie Luken is no stranger to the local arts scene as a high school speech and drama teacher, as well as a leader of the ICT’s Improv Comedy Troupe and ICT board member. Yet, somehow, this is her ICT acting debut. She’s clearly a pro, though, serving as the voice of reason with the character of Trisha, who helps each character come to terms with conflicting emotions. Her character is portrayed as the ultimate left-wing feminist who has to reconcile her feelings when she meets a man who seems too good to be true.
And as the lone male in the show, Cody Easley has his work cut out for him. He slides into all that feminine energy with the confidence of a man accustomed to getting what he wants. 
THE PLAY is a bit of a homecoming for the director.
Shauf-Olson starred as Mindy in the same play in a 2009 performance at Allen Community Theatre, when she was a student there. She appreciated the frank yet humorous discussion of social issues, but it was the relationships Schauf-Olson formed with the other women in the cast that stuck with her.
“It’s important to hear women’s stories, even though it was written by a man,” she said. Playwright Alan Ball also wrote the screenplay for the movie “American Beauty” and created the television series “Six Feet Under.”
