Fertile Ground Will Stage BLUE ROSES
Exploring the lives of Rosemary Kennedy and Rose Isabel Williams, BLUE ROSES delves into the impact of societal expectations on women in the mid-20th century
Blue Roses by Sandra de Helen is a haunting new drama that illuminates a buried chapter of American history through the lives of two women history tried to forget: Rosemary Kennedy and Rose Isabel Williams, sisters of John F. Kennedy and Tennessee Williams. Though separated by class, power, and public mythology, both women were subjected to lobotomies in the mid-20th century—procedures intended not to heal, but to silence.
Set against the rigid social expectations of the era, Blue Roses explores what happens when women are deemed “too much”: too emotional, too inconvenient, too difficult to manage. Rather than centering the towering male figures who dominate history books, the play insists on the interior lives of the sisters—their intelligence, humor, frustration, and longing for autonomy.
By placing Rosemary Kennedy and Rose Williams in conversation across time and circumstance, Blue Roses asks urgent questions about control, consent, and the price women pay for nonconformity. The play is both intimate and political, refusing sentimentality while honoring resilience.
Briana Ratterman plays Rose Isabel Williams, Jessica Tidd plays Rose Marie Kennedy, and Michael J. Teufel plays the lobotomist Dr. Freeman. Shareen Jacobs and Emma Greene portray the two nurses aides.
Performance Dates: April 18th at 5:30pm, April 19th at noon, and April 20th at 7:30pm.
Location: 21Ten Theatre, 2110 SE 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon
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