"More Character Sketches: The Hersey Brothers"

Continuing with more character sketches from Their Town, here are brief profiles of brothers Joe (straight) and Charlie (gay) Hersey:

JOE HERSEY

The mayor of Grover's Corners, N.H. - late 20s, a lawyer and a Dartmouth graduate. Joe is a single straight guy who doesn't date much, but could, if he wanted to - he's chosen to focus on his career. He is extremely polished and confident, a good speaker, and a charmer.

Joe is a savvy politician, a Democrat, born and raised in Grover's Corners, who convinced the town to change its charter to have a mayor instead of a board of selectmen as its governing authority. Some people think he's a bit too slick, but underneath his politician's exterior is someone who cares about issues and particularly about the town. He has seen lots of people his age have to leave town because of the lack of jobs and opportunities, and he's determined to find a way to reenergize the local economy. But at the same time, he is very ambitious, and determined to use the town as a steppingstone to higher office. He is aiming to be governor of the state someday, a dream he's held since childhood - and maybe from there, on to the White House! Sometimes, his ambition can hurt other people - as when he fails to consider how his plans for Grover's Corners might affect his colleague, town clerk Margaret Craig.

Joe has had a strained relationship with his brother, Charlie, who is also a lawyer. They were close growing up and in college and had even once discussed going into practice together. But Joe was uncomfortable when Charlie came out as gay (in a "how can my brother be so different from me?" way), and he also decided he didn't want to be part of a firm that mostly specialized in family-type law. He is slightly cowed by Charlie, too, who is nine months older and so did everything first.

CHARLIE HERSEY

An attorney, specializing in wills, estates, and similar concerns for gay clients - 30 years old, partnered for six years (but in an open relationship). He left Grover's Corners for good when he went to college, having felt smothered there as a queer kid, and now lives in Manchester, where there is a visible gay community. Like his younger brother, Joe, he is personable, charming, savvy, with a quick wit. But he does not have Joe's political ambition. Also, he is to the left of Joe on the political spectrum, veering toward Socialist.

Charlie considers his work as a lawyer to be activism for the gay community. He has strong opinions about the direction the gay movement is taking, and isn't afraid to voice them - in fact, he has made some statements that other activists take offense at. Most importantly, he's not a big fan of the push for same-sex marriage - he considers marriage a patriarchal, oppressive institution that gay people should not aspire to, and he would rather see gay people working for more traditionally leftie concerns, like universal health care.

But at heart, Charlie is concerned about what's best for the gay community, and that is what motivates him to step in when Joe needs a gay couple to get married. While other people in the play are using gay marriage for their own purposes - for example, Joe and Lyle for political reasons; Eliza, to hold her relationship together - Charlie has no agenda. He simply steps forward because he sees it as the right thing to do.