"Trust" by Self-Reliant Productions at the Lab Theater

Sometimes theater is escapist entertainment (see The Drowsy Chaperone), and sometimes it's not. Sometimes it deals with difficult real-life issues and gives a voice to people whose stories need to be heard. The new play Trust is an example of the latter. It's intense and difficult to watch, but such an important story, and an all too familiar one. This story about a survivor of clergy abuse was written by John Woehrle and inspired by the real-life experience of his friend Jim Hanson (both of whom act in the play), and it's obviously a labor of love. The creators have worked with survivor networks as they developed the piece, which makes its Twin Cities debut at the Lab Theater. I was truly impressed by this work from a first-time playwright, a first-time director (actor Rich Remedios), and actors who were mostly unfamiliar to me. Trust is a powerful play telling an important story, tough to watch but worth the effort.

"The How and the Why" by Theatre Unbound at New Century Theatre

Full disclosure: I'm a statistician in my day job. I believe in science, I believe in data, I believe in biology, and I believe in humans' abilities to discover the how and the why of things through science. So the latest offering from Theatre Unbound (a company committed to presenting theater by women for women) is right up my alley. In fact, I was wearing a T-shirt that said "Got data?" last night when I saw the play, having just come from my company's Pi Day celebration. And what better way to continue to celebrate science, as well as Women's History Month, than with the new play The How and the Why about the relationship between two women scientists. This is one of those two-people-sitting-in-a-room-talking plays that I love so much (see also Freud's Last Session), especially when the talk is so smart, fascinating, engaging, and thought-provoking. This play may be about women and created by women, but it's one that can be enjoyed by anyone, and I'm grateful to Theatre Unbound and Hennepin Theatre Trust for bringing it to us.