Sin
Cast size: 8 (2W, 6M)
Set in San Francisco on the eve of the 1989 earthquake, Sin is a contemporary morality play featuring "Avery Bly on High," a helicopter traffic reporter who’s trying to keep herself above life's messiness. Avery says, "From the sky, the world is perfect," but on the ground she is surrounded by people who are less than perfect. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband is a charming alcoholic, her roommate is a glutton, she's trapped daily in a helicopter with an envious co-worker, and her blind dates are disasters. It takes her dying brother to make her see that pride is the deadliest of sins, and it takes an Act of God to bring her back down to Earth.
Premiered at: The Goodman Theater (1994)
Directed by: David Petrarca
Reviews:
"An edgy, witty new comedy...scene after scene of biting humor and sharp insight." --Chicago Tribune
"When a San Francisco earthquake sets off a chain of tragedies in the life of a young helicopter traffic reporter, she is forced to come down from the heights and walk among her sinful brethren. Wendy MacLeod's comedy, a series of vivid, well-acted confrontations, draws on Everyman but reminds us that our in ability to resist the seven deadlies is what makes us human." ---The New Yorker
"Although subtitled "A Contemporary Morality Play," there's nothing preachy about Sin. On the contrary, MacLeod is a witty writer who seldom misses an opportunity for a good laugh....But MacLeod is not merely after laughs. She blends humor with pathos..." --The Daily Herald, Chicago
"As an example of health in the American theater...this original work could properly be named 'Virtue.'" --The Wall Street Journal
Press bibliography:
Christiansen, Richard. "Comedy with bite: MacLeod's witty 'Sin' skewers our everyday moral offenses." Chicago Tribune 1 November 1994.
Evett, Marianne. "Performances are top-notch in lively show on deadly sins." Cleveland Plain Dealer 12 October 1999: E1.
Evett, Marianne. "A modern morality play: Sins take center stage against background of San Francisco quake." Cleveland Plain Dealer 3 October 1999.
Henning, Joel. "Every man was her guide." Wall Street Journal 9 November 1994.
Leach, Dawn E. "A new look at ancient morality." Gay People's Chronicle 1 October 1999.
Valeo, Tom. "'Sin' beguiles audiences with compelling blend of humor and pathos." Chicago Daily Herald 3 November 1994.