As Told By Us
PPA Alumni Theatre Company
November 17, 2024
PPA Alumni Theatre Company recently came to Greenfinch Theater & Dive to tell their stories in the form of two intriguing and engaging one-act plays reflecting personal relationships and experiences. It was an entertaining and sometimes educational mix of comedy and drama, featuring some memorable performances. Here are some brief thoughts:
“Go Before I Do”
by Hazel McIntire
Directed by Eric Satterfield
Katie Leemon
Photo by RayBay Creates
PPA Alumni Theatre Company
In this story, Katie Leemon as the bartender gives the audience thoughts about life and drink recipes before a Daughter (Jocelyn Padilla) and Father (David Nonemaker) enter the bar and engage in occasionally tense conversation about their views of life, relationships, city vs. small town living, and more. It’s an intriguing relationship, with the idea being that the daughter doesn’t necessarily realize what she can learn from her father until it may be too late, although the story is a bit talky.
All three players turn in engaging performances with Leemon’s Bartender being the obvious standout. The staging is simple, with a fairly basic set featuring the bar and a table and chairs that serve the story well, and good work from lighting and set designer Bess Moynihan in establishing and maintaining the mood of the production.
“Don’t Be a Hero, Thank You”
by Katie Leemon
Directed by Rachel Tibbetts
LaWanda Jackson
Photo by RayBay Creates
PPA Alumni Theatre Company
This play was the highlight of the production for me, dealing with the complex topic of re-entry into the outside world after release from prison with humor and occasional poignancy, and featuring a thoroughly winning performance by LaWanda Jackson as Kate, who is adjusting to her new life and reflecting on her time while incarcerated. There’s also fun use of projections by Eric Satterfield to illustrate Kate’s points that cover topics of maintaining friendships, dating, getting used to life on the “outside” and more. There’s fun recurring segment about “How to Make a Prison Christmas Tree” that runs throughout the play, as well.
Jackson is excellent, plain and simple, with the right blend of comic timing and credibility in the more serious moments. There’s also a strong turn from Kristen Strom in a variety or roles, including one of Kate’s best friends from prison, Sara, who is struggling with her own unique issues after getting out. This is an engaging and educational show with a strong sense of pacing and excellent use of the set and props. It’s an enlightening look at the experience of incarceration for those who haven’t experienced it, and I imagine it would be especially relatable for those who have.
Overall, As Told By Us was an engaging, memorable theatrical experience featuring memorable themes and performances, and working especially well at the Greenfinch venue. It offers insights into aspects of the human experience that not everyone may have lived, but that are important to know for purposes of empathy and understanding.
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