Minnesota Fringe Festival 2018: "The Womyn's Mysteries"

Day: 3

Show: 8

Title: The Womyn's Mysteries

Category: Drama / Physical Theater / Storytelling

By: See-Saw Theater Lab

Directed by: Chava Curland

Location: Minnsky Theatre

Summary: An ensemble created piece telling the stories of the women in the Bible.

Highlights: Using music, movement, scarves, and stories, this diverse and talented 8-womyn ensemble (Erika Kunk, Gina Sauer, Jex Arzayus, Jody Bee, Kate Kennedy, Katherine Engel, Samantha Joy Singh, and Vinecia Coleman) tells stories from the Bible you may have heard before, but not quite like this. The piece is arranged in four parts (the beginning, matriarchs, warriors, and lovers or harlots), and the ensemble members take turns narrating and acting out scenes. They make these ancient women seem modern and relatable. There's also a bit of fourth-wall breaking, when someone will call cut in a questionable scene and the cast will proceed to discuss the story they're telling. There are also scenes in which they truthfully speak their own personal fears and wants. It's a beautiful thing to see a group of womyn on stage supporting each other in telling their stories and the stories of womyn in history and mythology, and how that history and mythology has shaped where we are today. A timely and timeless piece.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

"Ballast" by 20% Theatre Company at Mixed Blood Theatre

Now in its 12th season, the mission of 20% Theatre Company is "supporting and vigorously promoting the work of female and transgender theatre artists, and celebrating the unique contribution of these artists to social justice and human rights." The new play BALLAST is a perfect choice towards this necessary mission - it tells the story of two transgender people and their relationships with their partners, and features transgender actors in the cast. It's a hauntingly beautiful play with fully dimensional characters and relatable life struggles, and it touches on the role of faith as well. It's dreamlike and lyrical, even fantastical at times, yet grounded in the truths of the people whose story it tells. A few days later I find myself continuing to think about these beautifully flawed and human characters, and how important it is for all different kinds of people to tell their story, and to see themselves represented on our #TCTheater stages.

Fringe Festival 2016: "Mother's Milk"

Day: 7

Show: 31

Title: Mother's Milk

Category: Something Different

By: Inner Voice

Created by: Katherine Engel

Location: U of M Rarig Center Xperimental

Summary: A series of short vignettes about mothers, including storytelling, scenes, and songs.

Highlights: This feels like a companion piece to The Abortion Chronicles, which tells women's real-life stories about abortion. But in this case, the focus is on the women who chose to become mothers, and the children who remember and honor them. Some pieces were written by the cast (Jody Bee, Chari Eckmann, Shea Roberts, Delinda "Oogie" Pushetonequa, and Katherine Engel), some are from other sources, all are performed with great emotion. Most of the singing takes the form of chanting and feels ancient, as do these specific and universal stories. Mother's Milk is moving and beautiful way to honor our mothers, and will most likely strike a chord with anyone who sees it.