It was one of the first pieces of theatre to present lesbians as rounded, three-dimensional characters, avoiding the problematic and homophobic tropes that had been necessary to portray queer stories on stage.
Chambers' comedic dialogue, sensitivity to human nature, and tender treatment of her characters help the play transcend preconceptions and show the universality of these women's journeys, whether straight or lesbian.
Last Summer at Bluefish Cove had an AEA showcase production, directed by Harriet Leider, which opened at The Shandol Theater, West 22 Street, New York, NY, and ran March 13-30, 1980 before moving to the Actors Playhouse in New York City on December 22, 1980[1] and closed March 1, 1981 after 80 performances.
Kitty', Holly Barron as 'Annie', Dulcie Arnold as 'Rita', Lauren Craig as 'Rae', Celia Howard as 'Sue' and Robin Mary Paris as 'Donna'.
[3] In Judy Miller's 1982 Los Angeles production, Jean Smart reprised the role of 'Lil', also featuring Lee Garlington (Rae), Camilla Carr (Kitty), Nora Heflin (Annie), Sandra J. Marshall (Eva), Dianne Turley Travis (Sue), Linda Cohen (Rita), and Shannon Kriska (Donna).
These include the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Jean Smart for Best Actress, as well as a nomination for Best Ensemble Performance.
Jean Smart was discovered at the LA Production by the casting director for Designing Women, leading to her starring role in that successful TV series.
In 1983 Judy Miller produced Bluefish at the 750-seat Theater on the Square in San Francisco featuring Susan Sullivan as Lil under Marshall W. Mason's direction, for which it received numerous awards.
[5] Kitty — Has just left her OBGYN clinic to become a full-time writer after she took the feminist world by storm with her book The Female Sexual Imperative.
A force to be reckoned with in any situation, Kitty is terrified of being publicly outed, and worries that Eva’s arrival at Bluefish Cove might expose her.
Eva is a fairly naïve housewife who has just left her husband and has rented a cottage at Bluefish Cove on a whim.