THE STORY: The time is pre-women's lib 1955, the place a Los Angeles hotel, where a homemakers contest is in progress - the winner to embody the epitome (at the time) of the ideal woman: "a happy, good and beautiful homemaker." Entered as Mrs. L.A., Dot, sponsored by the local gas company, vies with the others in ironing a man's shirt, sewing an apron from an original pattern, setting a table, preparing a meal and delivering a monologue entitled "My Proudest Moment" - which, for Dot, was when she saved an American naval force from submarine attack while serving as a decoder in the WAVES during World War II. She is also abetted by her tart-tongued friend Babs, an electronics wizard who is not above tampering with sewing machines and stoves as the contest comes down to the finals, with Mrs. Modesto, Mrs. San Bernardino and Mrs. San Francisco going head to head with Dot for the victory. Urged one way by the brassy Babs (who can't resist showing up the contest for the ridiculous farce it is) and another by the fatuous man from the gas company (who pleads with Dot to play by the rules) Dot ultimately decides to do what she thinks is right rather than what she is told to do - the result, of course, being that the final nod goes to the contestant who best fulfills the image ordained by the macho men who run the contest and the one who manages to blend a good helping of sex appeal with her compliance.

A long-run Los Angeles hit, this brightly satiric comedy pokes wicked good fun at the pretentious hokum of a hotly contested homemakers competition. "MRS. CALIFORNIA is a sure crowd-pleaser, with men and young women laughing loudest and older women laughing knowingly." - Los Angeles Daily Breeze. "The play, wonderfully funny and witty, is at its best in individual skits that are often hilarious and sometimes cutting." - Los Angeles Star-News. "…deftly strikes the first blow for feminism as comedy - and a welcome step down it is from the soapbox." - LA Times. "…the best local play I've seen in years." - LA Reader's Guide.

Artist
Composer
Publisher	Dramatists Play Service Inc.
Series
Pages
Language
Instrument
Category	Plays
SubCategory1
SubCategory2
Medium	Softcover
ISBN13	9780822207849
ISBN13
Dimensions	197x134