Free coffee and donuts are available on the stage when you arrive to help determine Where We Stand. Audience members are the citizens for this Town Hall meeting. The setting is sparse and realistic. House lights never go down. Everyone’s face is visible and present. There is a decision to make.
Playwright Donnetta Lavinia Grays begins the show humming from the rear of the theater. As she slowly descends the stairs on her way to the stage, audience members are joining in with her. She is connecting with them. The community is coming together. Or is it being manipulated? I cannot be sure which is the right interpretation. That may be the point.
Ms. Grays portrays “Man.” An exile on the edge of town is seeking forgiveness. He has sold the community to the devil in exchange for glory. He achieves that by successfully building up the town. Various townsfolk offer testimonies. This fable is portrayed with music, humor and a great deal of soul searching.
Will the town be merciful to the man or choose justice instead? The story is told with extremely poetic and non-linear language. Characters jump in and out. Songs are sung. Ms. Grays makes direct eye contact with individuals. Her eyes bore into you as she brings you on a journey toward the vote. She is unquestionably a compelling presence. Many in the audience clapped and hummed as they were swept up into the narrative.
Others were more restless. One woman could not take it any longer. She was trapped in the second row. Rather than ask everyone to let her out, she escaped by sliding over the first row which had a couple of empty seats. She stood up defiantly and angrily. The house lights were all on. There is only one person on the stage. The two individuals were standing about ten feet apart. It was hideously uncomfortable. An unexpected sign of our times manifested itself.
A little later the woman’s companion elected to travel the same route to the exit. In a way, this distraction colored my interpretation of the story. A grand personality swaying the townspeople to a conclusion. The failure to listen to words that may be not what one wants to hear. Ms. Grays’ performance is excellent so it has to be the lyrical poetry which failed to engage those two from their discourteous behavior.
Then again, isn’t America now all about discourteous behavior? Trump’s tweets insulting whomever got under his skin that day. Bernie Sanders’ followers attacking supporters of other Democratic presidential candidates. I saw both of these examples on social media today. This unfortunate yet spontaneous theatrical moment deepened the connection between this play and our reality.
As directed by Tamilla Woodard (3/Fifths), the play is both dreamlike and riveting, an odd balance. The townspeople are listening to arguments. A decision will have to be made. Will you participate when called? This show is definitely not straightforward. Some character transitions are less clear than others. This playwright is asking us to listen in her way. Like reaching across the aisle in politics, that willingness is not universally possible.
Where We Stand is clearly not for everyone. Donnetta Lavinia Grays’ commanding performance is, however, completely engrossing and vividly theatrical. (She will alternate performances with David Ryan Smith.) In our times, Town Halls are still utilized to convince and cajole opinion. It’s up to you to decide where you stand.
Where We Stand is being performed at WP Theater through March 1, 2020.
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