For the second mainstage production as Artistic Director of
Mixed Blood Theatre, and the first he's directing, Mark Valdez choose a new play by Itamar Moses (whom I know primarily for writing the books of the musicals
The Band's Visit and The Children's Theatre's stage adaptation of
An American Tail).
The Ally debuted at
The Public Theater in NYC earlier this year, and now it's here in Minneapolis - a smart choice of a brilliantly written play, artfully executed by Mark, the creative team, and this terrific cast.
The Ally is a must-see, and the kind of theater we need right now. It delves into one of the most contentious issues of our time, the Israeli/Palestine conflict, and brings the kind of nuance and humanity to it that seems to be missing in a lot of the debates, arguments, and accusations surrounding it right now. I don't know the solution to this decades, even centuries long problem, and the play doesn't offer one either. But what it does do is provide a place for thoughtful, informed, respectful discourse about it. Not that the characters are always respectful; the play is tough to watch at times as some real pain and righteous anger are on display. But through these characters we're able to explore, process, and maybe come to some new understandings about the conflicts in our lives.
