At the heart of the story is Esther Mills (Gwendolyn Mulamba), a 35-year-old spinster, living in a boardinghouse for women owned by the kindly, yet outspoken and meddling landlady, Mrs. Dickson (Demene E. Hall). Esther has made a decent living over the years creating elegant, exquisite lingerie for a clientele ranging from wealthy socialites uptown to downtown ladies of the night. She is successful as a businesswoman, but much less proficient in the area of romance. Esther despairs over her spinsterhood, yet she rejects Mrs. Dickson’s futile matchmaking attempts, as she is unwilling to compromise in the area of love.

Life changes for this fiercely independent woman when she begins corresponding with a far away stranger – a Barbados native named George (Albert Jones) working as a laborer on the Panama Canal. A relationship develops between the two with bittersweet consequences. Also inhabiting Esther’s world are two of her customers: Mayme (Yvette Ganier), a good-hearted hooker, who is also Esther’s confidante, and Mrs. Van Buren (Mari Nelson), a bored, rich society woman with an abusive husband, who is happiest when she is in Esther’s company. Then there is Mr. Marks (Marc Jablon), a gentle, orthodox Jewish fabric merchant, who shares his love of textiles with Esther and becomes a most unlikely friend.

There are few surprises in this play, as the plot is fairly predictable, but the real reward is being able to watch six gifted actors transform their characters into flesh and blood people. Mulamba gives an impassioned performance as Esther, with an emotional range that runs the gamut from rage and hurt to fevered excitement and steely determination.

Ganier, as Mayme, allows her character glimpses of vulnerability and pain that otherwise hide behind a tough exterior. And Jablon, as Mr. Marks, is most endearing. The scenes between him and Mulamba are some of the most potent moments of the play, fraught with a deep undercurrent of sexual tension and eroticism.

Nelson, Jones and Hall also supply strong support in their roles, however, Jones, with his heavy accent, can be difficult to understand. Of special note are the lush and handsome costumes, artfully designed by Deb Trout.

“Intimate Apparel” is a rich tapestry, woven with the utmost care and craftsmanship. It is a tantalizingly beautiful story of one woman’s personal journey and her will to survive.

The show runs through Sept. 24. For ticket information, call (206) 269-1900 or www.intiman.org.