Highly Recommended **** Racism, sexual identity, political matters! These are just a few of the topics that are addressed in Lydia R. Diamond’s “Smart People” now on the stage of the smaller, “Black Box” studio at Writers Theatre in Glencoe. The Gillian Theatre, as it is called, is a unique space that can be converted for full stages, arena-style theater, or even in-the-round. In this current production, the audience is on three sides so there is action everywhere, and we are never more than five rows away from it.
There are four characters in this sexy and serious (and even comical in some ways) that along the way intertwine with each other. Sharply directed by Hallie Gordon ( a member of the Steppenwolf Company) this is two hours and fifteen minutes ( 2 acts with an intermission) of rapid fire scenes that take us from the introduction of our characters in the opener, where Valerie ( the incredible Kayla Carter) an actress who does filing, cleaning and other jobs to pay her rent, is trying to ask a director why she is saying her lines as he is asking, Dr. Jackson Moore ( deftly handled by Julian Parker) is being second-guessed on his surgical procedure, Ginny Yang, a psychologist ( played to perfection by Deanna Myers and Brian White, a neurobiologist ( handsomely portrayed by Erik Hellman) are all standing before us. As we watch them, attempting to follow their lead, we have no idea as to where the story is heading, but we can easily see and hear that Diamond’s theme has to do with Races, stereo-types and how most people view these situations in life.
All four of our characters are seeking some type of answers to the questions that life holds for us all. Of greater importance, they are all searching for their own happiness, perhaps love and the values that they have been trying to capture. In telling their stories, they do learn to meld with others in this wonderful cast. If one listens carefully, one can see that some of the deep questions of life regarding classism, sexism and even racism are addressed. Does Diamond shatter the things that we have read and heard over the years? For some, she might. The love story between the actress and the doctor and the other between the psychologist and the biologist are very realistic, but I am afraid the stereotypes are a bit exaggerated.
During the play we learn a great deal about the actress and later, the others getting on the Obama bandwagon and how his becoming our first African-American Presidnet made a difference for these characters. There are some great scenes and videos about this, so please do not look at your political beliefs, understanding that this is a part of what the story is all about. The intricacies of racial politics! This is indeed a smart play about “Smart People” who are caught up in their own desires and dreams and need to find the happiness that they are hoping to find.
The set (Collette Pollard) is fairly simple and the costumes (Izumi Inabi) are very realistic. The lighting ( Kathy A. Perkins) and sound( Richard Woodbury, who also did the original music which is very fitting) and the projections (Deidre Searcy) all add to the total production. Scott Dickens does a great job with the myriad of props. While this is not a play for everyone, those who do see it are in for a solid two hours plus of story-telling and tuths as well. Four amazingly smart people, all from different racial and ethnic backgrounds face challenges in their lives because of who and what they are. Isn’t that what we read and hear about daily?
“Smart People” will continue at Writers Theatre located at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe thru June 10th with performances as follows:
Tuesdays 7:30 p.m.
Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. ( some matinees at 3 p.m.)
Thursdays 7:30 p.m.
Fridays 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sundays 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
Open-Captioned performance June 1 at 7:30 p.m.
ASL Interpreted , June 2nd at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets start at $35- $80 and are available at the box office, by calling 847-242-6000 or at http://www.writerstheater.org
Plenty of free parking, and one can get to Writers by using the Metra’s Union Pacific North Line ( the station is walking distance from the theater. Do a facebook or instagram photo of yourself at the train with the tag of @Writerstheatre and the title of the show. Show the post when you arrive at the theater and get $5 towards your fare
To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Smart People”.
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