Opening

Lee Blessing's play kicks off the new year for Theatre in the Round, which is in its 60th season. Only Old Log has a longer history in the Twin Cities. Blessing grew up in suburban Minneapolis and made his mark as a playwright here before moving to New York. "Independence" is a family drama in which three sisters return home to care for their mother. Sounds sweet, but the old crone is a manipulator and stirs the natural rivalries among her daughters. Leah Cooper directs a cast of, from left, Rachel Austin, Jean Wolff, Rachel Flynn and Emily Dussault.