Production Run: September 22, 2010 – October 02, 2010

by Del Shores
music by Joe Patrick Ward
lyrics by Sharyn Lane, Del Shores, & Joe Patrick Ward

Willi is the trailer trash housewife of the title, not necessarily of her own volition. Her abusive husband won’t let her get a job, one of her children is dead, and the other is verboten by her husband because he’s gay. Her best and only friend, a large black woman who lives next door, worries about her constantly, always concerned that Willi’s husband will end up killing her. A new woman comes to live in the trailer park and ends up having an affair with Willi’s husband. When she finds out, Willi decides to get a job at the local Wal-Mart (a first step on the way to liberating herself from him). Her husband will have none of it, and quoting the bible about how a wife is supposed to obey her husband, threatens all three women with a gun, and then beats Willi to within an inch of her life. She recovers enough to finally shoot him, releasing her from the torment that she’d been living in for years. A blues singer weaves songs into the action, commenting upon Willi’s predicament and urging her toward decisive action.

“A feat of breathtaking audacity.” – Critics Choice, – Los Angeles Times

“Shores manages to fully explore Willadean’s horrific plight while infusing the work with such hilarity the audience is often reduced to tears and laughter within the same breath.” – Daily Variety

In 2003, The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife was the winner of more than 14 Los Angeles Theatre Awards, including Best Production, Best Lead Performance – Beth Grant, and Best World Premiere from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle; Best Lead Actress – Beth Grant from the Ovation Awards; Best Production and Best Playwright from the NAACP Theatre Awards; Best Production, Best Playwright, Best Direction, Best Lead Performance – Beth Grant, and Best Supporting Performance – Dale Dickey, from the Back Stage West Garland Awards.