When is the last time you saw an all-female cast?
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| Photo by Dan Norman |
It’s a short list for me. There was Six, a treatise on Henry VIII’s wives that’s about to blow up on Broadway; the eternally lovely Steel Magnolias at the Guthrie; the Jungle’s devastating The Wolves and heartfelt School Girls; Park Square Theatre’s lyrical Marie & Rosetta, transcendent Nina Simone: Four Women, and hilarious Calendar Girls; Penumbra’s goddess-like For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf; Prime Productions’ powerful Little Wars; Theatre Elision’s sweet debut Ragtime Women; the Jungle’s stunning Two Gentlemen of Verona (also Sarah Rasmussen’s Artistic Director debut); and that’s just about all I can remember.
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| Photo by Dan Norman |
All of the above were excellent, but it’s a real shame how rare it is. I’ve been writing about theater for almost 10 years now, and the list above totals 11 shows out of the hundreds I’ve watched, 5 of which were in produced in the last year. Makes you think twice, right?
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| Photo by Dan Norman |
Thankfully we now have another excellent addition to this list currently running at Theater Latte Da. Bernarda Alba is a brand new epic in the tradition of Man of La Mancha but with hauntingly familiar themes, a dark exploration of female life that is still sadly all too true. Bernarda Alba is a fearsome matriarch who rules her home of five daughters with an iron fist after her incestuous husband dies. Determined to keep her daughters chaste until married off to a man of the appropriate caste, Bernarda holds them captive under lock and key to disastrous consequences. Unschooled in the ways of the world, Bernarda’s daughters lay vulnerable to predatory male attention and ruthlessly competitive between each other. I won’t spoil the turn the story takes, but suffice it to say it’s a tragic ending that remains devastatingly common in our allegedly modern world.
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| Photo by Dan Norman |
Bernarda Alba benefits from a truly rock star cast, beginning with the HBIC herself Regina Marie Williams as Bernarda. Williams has long been a favorite local star of mine, with the queenly carriage of Angela Basset and the fearsome talent of Viola Davis. Her performance here is deliciously severe, and the whole audience shivered every time she struck the stage floor with her cane. The roles of Bernarda’s daughters feature many of my favorite local actresses. Kate Beahen is Angustias, the oldest and the family outcast. Nora Montañez is Magdalena, the second oldest and most chaste of the five sisters. Britta Olmann is the pious Amelia; Meghan Kreidler is Martirio, the “ugly” sister (which couldn’t have been more ironic casting if they tried); and Stephanie Bertumen is Adela, the untameable youngest. Together this quintet forms a stunning chorus, ranging from deep contraltos to trilling sopranos, and their diverse voices blend as well as their diverse performances into the narrative.
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| Photo by Dan Norman |
A spectacular standout for me was Aimee K. Bryant as Bernarda’s right hand servant Poncia; I was so glad to see her fantastic talent on display with this powerhouse crew, where she more than held her own. I can’t think of anyone better suited to narrate the story, and Bryant’s lithe vocal stylings fully entranced the audience by the end of the first song. Sara Ochs proves once again that she’s one of #tctheater’s most versatile performers, anchoring the cast vocally and doubling as swaggering male figures. Kim Kivens is eerie as Bernarda’s mother Maria Josepha, at times a terrifying presence on stage. And Haley Haupt rounds out the cast as another servant, providing plenty of vocal color.
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| Photo by Dan Norman |
The detailed scenic design from Kate Sutton-Johnson revealed so many layers as the show continued. For example, it turns out that most of it is constructed from strung ribbons and lace, echoing the theme of “women’s work” that is at the heart of Bernarda’s conflict with her daughters. It was a subtle but brilliant touch that added so much texture and movement to the set, completely unlike anything I’ve seen. Mary Shabatura lights the stage like a film noir, and when combined with Kevin Springer’s soft sound design that warmly embraces silence, it provides a reverent patina to the show. Alice Fredrickson’s costume design is functional and sexy all at once, giving each actress plenty of dramatic fabric to swan around in. Kelli Foster Warder’s choreography cleverly turns the actresses into castanets and horse hooves, and none of it seemed forced. I loved director Crystal Manich’s vision for Bernarda Alba, and the rest of the strong production team she assembled delivers a crisply clear production and high quality performance that truly draws you in.
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| Photo by Dan Norman |
I think Bernarda Alba belongs in the canon of great female roles. It reminded me of some of my favorite dark stories starring women – August: Osage County, Doubt, How To Get Away With Murder, Sunset Boulevard – but with the musical themes of Man of La Mancha. I have a sneaking suspicion that some regular theater goers might consider eschewing Bernarda Alba because of its all female cast which would be such a shame – these actresses are giants in our local theater community and it’s such a pleasure watching them sink their teeth into complex, difficult roles finally worthy of their talents. Bernarda Alba has all the quality Theatre Latte Da is known for delivering; don’t chintz yourself by missing it. It’s the first show I’ve seen in 2020 and if this is a harbinger of things to come we are in for a very good year of theater. For more information or to buy tickets before Bernarda Alba closes on February 16, click on this link.
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| Photo by Dan Norman |