The Miracle Springs Resort in Desert Hot Springs will host a performance of “LUSH!” on Sunday, November 10, 2013, at 2:00 PM.
The two-act play is presented as a “Staged Reading”. It brings to life the story of a forgotten American heroine: the first woman to join Alcoholics Anonymous. Playwright and Director Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume says, “Everyone knows about the first two men who started AA. In 1935, the thinking was that only men were “inebriates”. AA was exclusively a Guy Thing for the first four years!”
But Marty Mann, a former socialite born into wealth and privilege in Chicago, wound up living on a park bench, homeless, alone, and drunk. How did she become “the First Lady of AA”? Her story paved the way for all other women in sobriety—including a nation’s First Lady, Betty Ford.
Hume’s play about Marty Mann, told with much laughter and a few tears, also educates the audience about the paradoxes of alcoholism–such as: Why don’t they stop drinking when they see what it is doing to them? Why do they relapse after finally getting sober? Is the disease inherited? What is the difference between a “heavy drinker” and an “alcoholic”?
The two-hour play answers these and other questions. “Everybody knows someone who is an alcoholic,” declares Hume. “It might be a friend, a co-worker, or someone dangling off a branch of your own family tree! So everyone can identify with the messages of this show, even non-alcoholics—because if you have ever been mixed up with one, you never forget what it can put you through. “
A few years ago “LUSH!” swept its category in the Desert Theatre League’s “Desert Stars” Awards, with six wins. It has been performed at the Indio Performing Arts Center, Michael’s House, The Tolerance Education Center, The ABC Club, and the world-famous Betty Ford Center. It always experiences full houses and standing ovations at every performance.
Meet the cast: Dean Apple plays “Bill W.” and Ron Young plays “Dr. Bob Smith”, AA’s co-founders. Hume plays “Marty Mann”, and all three appear in various other character roles. Beautiful live music, woven throughout the play, not only sets the mood, but also identifies the exact year of the upcoming scene. Music is provided by talented local clarinetist Ted Pethes. All of them worked together in this play’s prequel, “Bill W. and Dr. Bob” about the birth of AA.
The Miracle Springs Resort, with its world-famous healing mineral waters, is located at 10625 Palm Drive in Desert Hot Springs, six miles north from Highway 10 (south of 10, it’s Gene Autry Drive). Manager Reggie Bickford invites playgoers to come early for lunch at the award-winning CAPRI Restaurant or the Juice Bar…or stay for dinner after the show. “We are so enthusiastic about this play, which has already helped so many people. It’s the first play at our hotel that I’ve been part of, and already we’ve heard such excitement about it,” he smiles. The hotel will also offer a special rate to playgoers for Sunday night. “The breath-taking beauty of our hotel grounds and the pools should not be missed, because travelers come from all over the planet to soak them up,” Bickford reminds us.
Tickets to the play are just $10.00, and reservations may be made with “Stanley” at the front desk, (760) 251-6000.
