A terrific ensemble cast brings this heartfelt family drama vividly to life. Shelley Phillips gives a wonderfully nuanced portrayal of the mentally unbalanced matriarch Evelyn, who spins her madness like a web to stop her three grown daughters from leaving the lair. Phillips makes admirable choices in a role that could easily have slipped into caricature, but in this production is well-grounded in three brutally honest mother-daughter relationships.
— David Wisehart (review of the play ‘Independence’ by Lee Blessing at The Hollywood Fringe Festival)
Shelley Phillips takes on the daunting challenge of Evelyn. “This is a powerhouse role,” says Muldoon. “This is Meryl Streep in August: Osage. We knew if we couldn’t find Mom, we didn’t have a play. And Shelley Phillips just astounded us. Evelyn terrorizes her children but also earns their devotion. She straddles this inexplicable fine line between compassion and brutality, and Shelley walks it with grace.”
— Kat Muldoon, Producer and Lead Actress
