Originally, based on the short story “The Ugliest Pilgrim” by Doris Betts, Violet is the story of a woman who had been disfigured as a young girl in an ax accident while living in the unforgiving times of the 1960s.  This accident has left her with a large scar on her face, both figuratively and literally, as she is unable to be truly happy with her looks and thus herself.  Through the friends she meets on her voyage west, she learns that the only true beauty she ever really needed was already inside her.

Violet, played by the beautiful and talented Ellen Kay, feels that if she travels across the country by bus from her small farm in Spruce Pine, North Carolina to the large city of Tulsa Oklahoma she will be able to meet up with a televangelist who will give her the Hollywood looks she desires.  

The friends Violet, played by the actually beautiful and talented, Ellen Kay, makes are good-time seeking Monty, played by Chas Lederer, and his African-American counterpart- Flick, played by the ever- brilliant Randy Chalmers. It isn’t until Flick suffers similar unwelcomed treatment (because of his skin color) that Violet starts her journey to self-acceptance. Heck, even their friend, Monty may have more going on under his bad-boy exterior than we assume.

Throughout the play, a young Violet, played by Rebecca Hyde and her Father, played by Scott McLean appear as a flashback to give the viewer a background of current Violet. Both are extremely talented and have great chemistry. A song that merges both current and past Violet that I found exceptionally fun was, Luck of the Draw.  During the song, young Violet’s Father teaches her how to play poker while grown-up, now experienced Violet swindles her new pals.

For me, the best part of the play was the music that was performed live with the help of an extremely skilled band. Throughout the first part of the play an older lady, played by Margie Lamb, who was an apparent former beauty at her prime and loves to talk up Violet doubles as a hotel singer that can sing down-and-dirty as well as sugary sweet.  Almost as sweet as the Music Hall Singer, Krisangela Washington. Washington, whose scene was brief, yet potent in talent.

In one of the final scenes, Violet finds herself at her desired destination, an evangelical church.  There she is greeted by a choir, lead by soulful Anna High performing Raise Me up. High brings the house down in this show-stopper.  The play concludes shortly after this and without ruining the ending for you, I will say it does have an impactful ending.

Rating: 4 of 5 poker chips

There is a student discount for ACC student tickets available online and in person. Additionally, in a continuing effort to make plays at Town Hall Arts Center more accessible to all, 10 value seats at $10 each are available on a first-come, first-served basis one-hour prior to each published curtain time (limit two per person).

The Town Hall Arts Center
2450 W. Main St., Littleton
Phone: 303-794-2787.

The play runs through February 7th.