There’s absolutely no sausage at this doomsday party. In the award-winning play 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, the fine ladies of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein are here to remind everyone to adhere to their motto: “No men. No meat. All manners.”
Charleston’s Absent Friends, a nonprofit acting community, is best known locally for its monthly shadowcast performances of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The company is expanding its performance repertoire with 5 Lesbians, but the show is in line with the group’s mission to be a “safe, supportive and empowering home for the local LGBTQIA+ community.”
A delectable blast into 1950s America, 5 Lesbians features five widows who gather for their annual breakfast, which is quickly disrupted by the sound of atomic bomb sirens. What follows is a hilarious, vulnerable and campy exploration into female friendship and sexuality.
Performances of 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche are scheduled for May 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. in Upper Lance Hall at Circular Congregational Church.
All audience members, no matter their gender, will receive a 1950s-inspired name and an invitation to join the immersive show through moments of improv and other opportunities for audience participation, said producer, co-director and cast member Jules Elizabeth.
Elizabeth said the play might take place in 1956 but has jarring similarities to 2026. Each character transforms from forcing themselves into the mold of a “perfect” housewife to embracing their sexuality and leaning on fellow women.
“Even though this is a period piece, we are going through the same struggles today,” Elizabeth said. “Our whole mission is creating a space through art for everybody, but especially with this being female-driven and queer driven, my hope is for queer people and females to come in and feel seen.”
5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche debuted 15 years ago but still resonates with audiences navigating an ever-changing political climate. For Elizabeth, the show is a reminder that friendship, happiness, and love exists alongside oppression and fear. One of her favorite parts involves a character confronting past trauma with the help of her friends and finding a new sense of purpose.
“It’s the absolute perfect play for me to dig into because I find a lot of healing through smiles and being able to laugh with my friends,” she said.
Co-director and actress Sadie Sundell agrees that 5 Lesbians feels increasingly relevant in 2026. The women in the play, who feared nuclear attacks and communism, have a lot in common with average people today concerned about threats to women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights and persistent wars around the world.
“It’s become more important than ever that women find each other and fight these battles together,” Sundell said. “We have not just cis women but trans women too, who are fighting a fight, and we all need to be united.
“I think this play really does speak to women of all different backgrounds coming together and trying to survive,” she said.
Though 5 Lesbians centers on women, it was written by two men, Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood. Charleston’s Absent Friends changed only one line in the script, Elizabeth said, but this production includes women who present as both masculine and feminine.
“We’re trying to showcase that there’s such a range of what it means to be a woman,” she explained. “Every single interpretation of what that means for you is not only OK, but it’s celebrated and safe.”
Creating a sense of belonging and community for cast and audience alike is important to 5 Lesbians performers like Nikki Allawas. But so are the laughter and hope she takes away from the play.
“The theme of joy, you hear it a lot,” Allawas said. “You hear queer joy, feminine joy, all of these things. We want our audience to see this play and not feel alone.”
Attendees can catch the show on May 28 or 29 at 7:30 p.m.. Doors will open at 7 p.m. Both shows will be held at Upper Lance Hall at Circular Congregational Church. The show is recommended for adults aged 18 and up, with minors being admitted only with a guardian.
IF YOU WANT TO GO:
Performances will take place May 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Lance Hall at Circular Congregational Church, with doors opening at 7 p.m.
The show is recommended for adults 18 and older; minors must be accompanied by a guardian. Tickets are $25 for general admission.
Madelyn Taylor is an arts journalism and communications graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
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