A good story left untold

There's much to admire in Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder's 2007 drama "Gee's Bend." Yet one gets the sense that Wilder doesn't delve deeply enough into the remarkable everyday lives of the black women whose distinctive handmade quilts have brought fame to the isolated town of Gee's Bend, Ala.

There's no doubt that director Chuck Smith helms a sturdy and well-acted Midwest premiere of "Gee's Bend" for Skokie's Northlight Theatre. But one can't escape Wilder's dutiful and economical approach to the compelling subject matter.

Instead of focusing on a real family, Wilder creates five composite characters played by four actors who live through 60 years of sometimes tumultuous history. That amount of time suggests something epic, but the conflicts Wilder creates for her created "Gee's Bend" family are largely on an everyday domestic level.

PLAY REVIEW "Gee's Bend" 2 1/2 stars out of fourLocation:Northlight Theatre at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., SkokieTimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; through March 9 Running time:95 minutes without intermissionParking: Ample lots and garageTickets: $35-$55Box office: (847) 673-6300 Rating:Nothing offensive: described violence and winks and nods regarding sex