Fire in Dreamland and Bree

As part of the new works festival, tonight I saw Fire in Dreamland by Rinne Groff, starring Bree Elrod. Last Saturday as part of the festival I saw Michelle T. Johnson's play reading "Rights of Passage." A few months ago I had seen "Lot's Wife" while it was still in workshop. I am mixing everything together and it may not make sense, but, my overall point is that it is an amazing time to be part of Kansas City Theatre. There are new works being created and new works being accepted this season by the Unicorn as part of the National New Play Network. It is a place of creation, and if I may be so bold, it reminds me of the environment Mamet talks about in his book "Theatre" - everyone working together and creating for hours and hours, demanding perfection simply out of the sheer number of hours put in. It is incredible to watch new works be workshopped and born, to change and modify over time, and to watch actors develop their roles. It is glorious. And there is a wonderful group in Kansas City doing this. Right now. 

It was surreal watching Bree. I knew it would be, as I think the last time I saw her was 15 years ago in Harbach for Treacherous Journey. In the same creative vein of making and re-creating a work, actors put the hours and the time into their craft. She was always brilliant in college. Young 20s, we knew she had it. I still remember her acting this monologue where she had to pretend to act on the phone, her comedic timing was impeccable, a skill the rest of us took years to learn. As when I went on vacation to watch Kate Berry act, I had a little bit of sadness. For the past 15 years, they'd been continually working in theatre since school, while I'd put it away in a drawer since that's not something I thought I was allowed to do. I thought to myself, they've grown their craft over all these years, and I'm so behind. Look at how magnificent they are. 

Though the sadness is there from missed time, I've been working on making up for it since 2014, when I got a restart. Why are you always writing like you're running out of time. For some reason, I feel oddly competitive to those I went to school with and others in Kansas City. It is not a bitter jealousy of my 20s, or a stuck hopelessness of my 30s, but a woman nearing her 40s who knows there is a limit to time and how many stories you can create in one lifetime.

With this, let us all create new work. 

Mr. Burns - A post Electric Play

It has taken me a long time to decide on how to write this review. This play seems ecclectic and irreverent, but something is brilliant over the surface. Over time, art changes. The Shakespeare of today is hardly recognizable from the Shakespeare of his time. What he considered crass jokes and throw away lines that he wrote in a hurry for money we now study in a classroom for our doctorates. In the same way, Anne Washburn really hits on what would happen if our modern day society stopped in an apocolypse and what stories would we tell from that point onward. When the play ends, 75 or so years after the first act after the apocolypse, the music and stories told regarding lost television and musical history are far different than what was actually real. Over and over, the characters remind each other of the bits and pieces they recall, hobbling together a show and buying lines from others. At the end, they create something that is so different than what was the original product that we would see on our television screens at the beginning. It is a written testimony of how storytelling and history changes perception, and how what was inane and simple could be misconstrued to be revered or holy.

It is absolutely insane to try and explain or summarize it. The Unicorn's dramaturg did a brilliant job. 

Please visit unicorn.org for ticket information. 

This production is co-created with UMKC and it is absolutely well-done from the set to the costumes to the acting. The start, however, is Manon Halliburton. She gave a chilling monologue delivery at the beginning that set the tone and description of the entire apolocolpyse. If she didn't do her job on point, the entire first act would have been off kilter. She absolutely nailed it. I would highly recommend any aspiring actors watch her from start to finish with her physicality and her voice control - she is a force. Matthew King's over the top humor in the second act was a surprise. He over-played in just the right areas. As a team, the entire ensemble had to ebb and flow between multiple changes, both in character growth, while almost playing themselves as a morality play. This is extremely difficult and demanding work. They did an outstanding job. 

Word of warning, the Simpsons music will be in your head for a week afterwards. 

The Oldest Boy by Sarah Ruhl - The Unicorn

For details on tickets, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/796884210410704/ 

This is the opening show to the Unicorn's 42nd season. It is absolutely a risky and complicated show. The topic itself, motherhood and attachment parenting across cultures, is difficult to master. Add in puppetry, time jumps, and scene changes can leave this as one monumental task. 

Katie Kalahurka (mother) was brilliant. I adored her in last's season's Spinning Tree Production of Ghost Rider. It's amazing to see her capture humor and grief in one performance. She is probably my favorite local actor. 

Vi Tran (father) was masterful in his portrayal of one having to move between cultures. His character grew, changing his opinions and convictions, which could have easily been flat. He brought a depth and warmth to the character and turned the play in the direction it needed to go. 

Alex Espy (oldest boy) and Andi Meyer (puppeteer) were masterful and gorgeous in their flow, movements and stage presence. I can't describe too much of what they did because I want any new audience members to be surprised. 

Wai Yim (A Lama) was simply amazing and incandescent when he has scenes to play off of with Katie Kalahurka. It was akin to watching a perfectly timed tennis match. Every gesture and line had another volley back. Brilliant. Sharp direction by Cynthia Levin and impeccable acting. 

Thomas Tong (a monk) did a wonderful job of cluing the audience in to what was going on before it was revealed. I hope to see him grow in more roles in other productions. 

The technical aspects of the play were seamless and amazing. Sarah White (Scenic designer), TzuChing Chen (Asst Scenic designer), Paul Mesner (puppet direction), and Mike Horner (puppet design and construction) had a large challenge that they conquered wonderfully. As always, Tanya Brown (Stage Manager) was on point to make sure it ran on time. This was a preview night, and I'm usually prepared to be very gracious in my reviews with technical glitches. It was flawless. 

My only critique is the second act felt very rushed. There was a lot of great build up in the first act, backstory and emotional discussions. The second act felt like it was hurrying to tie everything in so quickly in a bow it felt unnatural. What it felt like was a major decision was almost made off stage. I can't tell you anything else without spoiling it for you, but that's my only negative in an absolutely gorgeous and well done work. It's honest, daring, difficult, gutsy and complicated with emotions and technical challenges. What a way to open a season.