The Cemetery Club

by: Ivan Menchell

The touching comedy involves three Jewish widows who meet once a month for tea to talk about their lives before going to visit their husbands’ graves. Ida is sweet-tempered and ready to begin a new life. Lucille is a feisty embodiment of the girl who just wants to have fun, shop, and catch the eyes of admirers. Doris remains fiercely devoted to her late husband and takes her grave-tending responsibilities seriously. Ida is not used to being alone after a long marriage, but doesn’t think she’s ready to get involved with a man – that is until Sam enters the scene. Sam meets the widows while visiting his wife’s grave. A budding romance between Sam and Ida is squashed by Doris and Lucille, who are guilt-stricken when this nearly breaks Ida’s heart. Mildred is a minor character who stirs things up. The ladies in the play are reminiscent of “The Golden Girls” of the television sitcom. They are each at different stages of their widowhood – some ready to get on with life, some needing a nudge in that direction. The Cemetery Club was made into a movie starring Olympia Dukakis, Diane Ladd, and Ellen Burstyn.