How about ditching our old Constitution for a new one? A Constitution that was created by the all too powerful, all too privileged and all too white men who owned property – some being slave owners that doesn’t protect the rights of women.
That’s a proposition set forth near the end of this almost one woman ninety minute no intermission production that Heidi Schreck (author and performer) has been at work on since she was fifteen years old in the abortion free zone where she grew up in Washington State.
Where she made enough money for her college tuition by making speeches and winning debates based on the Constitution and how she felt about it. Patience and persistence and passion have paid off. She is on Broadway.
Last year it was produced off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop where it opened smack in the middle of Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination proceedings (perfect timing) and became the New York critics’ darling: #1 Play of the Year and Best Play of the Year by almost one and all. It is now housed at the Helen Hayes Theater for a limited 12 week engagement where you can see for yourself and make your own decision. Somehow she lost me along the way despite her charm and intelligence.
You will hear about how this all began. How she was coached by her dad. How she won enough money to finance her aforementioned education. I think she was a pretty smart cookie to begin with, now looking like a stand in for Kate Hudson doing stand-up comedy.
Heidi Schreck is quite funny and engaging and verbose and smart and a clever storyteller with an agenda in her American Legion Veteran’s look alike set by Rachel Hauck with dozens of dour Vets looking down on her from behind as she speaks as her 15 year old self behind the podium to us the audience, asking us to pretend that we are the all-white males from which she seeks to win her funds for college.
She then becomes her present age and goes back and forth in the process of explaining her take on the all-important Fourteenth Amendment. And how it has not protected women in particular. You will hear of her great great grandmother who was purchased from a catalog as a mail order bride and some of her other female relatives and their being beaten and raped and treated like a piece of property.
You will hear about abortion. Penumbra. And you will hear an audio clip of Supreme Court Justices that is eye opening.
Your vocal prowess will be tested in the audience participation section where you will cheer on or boo the debate on whether we should abolish or keep the Constitution as is. A debate between Heidi and a young student (either Rosdely Ciprian or Thursday Williams) depending on the performance schedule.
Mike Iveson is the onstage moderator. Handing over notes to Heidi as need be and holding up cards to alert her of the time left to speak. There are certain strict rules set up that she not surprisingly veers off from. Speaking of which his character plays a similar role as he removes part of his clothes and becomes her older friend who has his own set of problems.
Finally, you will receive a complimentary pocket sized edition of The Constitution of the USA from the ACLU for your reading pleasure, if you so desire.
Directed by Oliver Butler.
No intermission. 90 minutes. EXTENDED Through July 21, 2019.
Photos: Joan Marcus
Visit www.TalkEntertainment.com
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