Cover art by William Sloan/THREE

The Woman with 27 Children

Ludmilla Bollow

This play is included in the collection:

Description

Angel lives alone in the house on the hill, built by her now-deceased husband, Vernon, the love of her life. She is utterly lost without him to guide her. He carved so many beautiful things, but the most treasured, were the exquisite lifelike wooden dolls. He presented her with one each Christmas (because she could not have children). Eventually there were twenty-seven dolls — treated as real children. Confused and disoriented, Angel sits recalling their life, speaking to the last-carved child as if he were Vernon, telling of the plight taking place — the tax people coming to take their home, and the only solution is to sell the priceless dolls to the museum, which tears her apart, because 'you can't sell your own children!' Ultimately, she believes Vernon is back with her, and all his statues are standing once more in the magic circle, and it’s time to retire. In the morning, “We'll take all but one child to the museum.”

Production Info

Cast: 1 total (1 female)
Short Drama (about 45 minutes)
Minimal Set Requirements
Contemporary Costumes
About the Author

Author

  • Ludmilla Bollow

    Ludmilla Bollow is an award-winning actress, prize-winning playwright, and published novelist. Hundreds of her plays have been produced in 90 theatres across the U.S. plus numerous foreign countries, from China to South Africa. ONE ACTS & MONOLOGUES FOR WOMEN (3rd edition) and THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY GHOST have been published by Broadway Play Publishing Inc, the latter also optioned for a movie by Scott Derrickson of Trimark Films. Samuel French published her full-length comedy IN THE REST ROOM AT ROSENBLOOMS, and her book of four award-winning plays, SAVING AMERICA AND OTHER PLAYS. Play scenes and short plays in 16 leading play anthologies. Plays also published by ArtAge and HaveScripts. This Wisconsin writer has taught playwriting and other writing, and been commissioned to write plays. She has also published articles, short stories, and poetry in U.S., England and India. Her first novel, Dr. Zastro's Sanitarium — For the Ailments of Women (Behler Publishing), previously a play, has received commendable reviews, including Publishers' Weekly. Her emotive memoir, Lulu's Christmas Story — A True Story of Faith and Hope During the Great Depression, was published in 2014 by Title Town Publishing and Beaufort Books.

About the Book

Book Information

Publisher BPPI
Publication Date 6/1/1983
Pages 96
ISBN 9780881450088

Special Notes

Special Notes

Licensees are required to include the original stage producers credits in the following form on the title page in all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play and in all advertising in which the full cast appears in size of type not less than ten percent (10%) of the size of the title of the Play:
The following must appear within all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play:
The Woman with 27 Children is produced
by special arrangement with Broadway Play Publishing Inc, NYC
www.broadwayplaypublishing.com

Productions

Upcoming and Recent Productions

Professional


2/24/2017 – 2/26/2017
Theatre Space Foundation Limited
Sha Tin, Hong Kong