Upon arriving at Taproot Theatre you may notice India Arie piped in to set the atmosphere as people take their seats, a stage brought low and right up to the toes of those on the front row, and an audience which is seemingly on pins and needles, not quite the most comfortable way to start a story.
Taproot Theatre breaks from a tradition of rather “feel good” plays with its most recent premiere of Brownie Points, written by Janece Shaffer. Brownie Points, follows the story of five women from diverse backgrounds and an invisible troop of girls on a backwoods camping trip. A storm begins to brew outside virtually reflecting what is stewing inside the cabin. It doesn’t take too long before the breaking point is reached. If you were looking for a relaxing way to end a long day at work, this might not be the play for you. But if you are willing to bunker down and stay engaged, you will see there is much more to this story than you might expect. Though race might be the key to exploring conversation about prejudices, it is hardly the only prejudice addressed. This play tackles everything from race, money, and disability, to a woman’s role in society.
Great writing by Janece Shaffer facilitates the fine balance of comedy without robbing these relevant challenges of their potency. The cast like a surgeon skillfully opens the audience up through great comedic performances but refuses to back down in cutting to the heart of important issues. Audiences will love the rather unexpected friendship which develops between Deidre (Faith Russell) and the fiery Jamie (Amy Love). They may compare themselves to the high strung Allison (Casi Wilkerson), the laid back Nicole (Karen Ann Daniels) or the fragile Sue (Nikki Visel). With so many characters and diverse experiences captured by this play it is hard to not examine your own life for similarities.
Taproot Theatre took a risk in presenting an edgy play that might be a little out of the audiences comfort range, but I think it will pay off. This will not be a play that ends with the curtain call but will be kept alive in the thoughts and future conversations of those who have seen it. Hopefully causing each ticket holder to look deeper at every day interactions and perhaps even remember the famous quote by Plato “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
More Details on Brownie Points:
May 20-June 18
Days & Times: Wednesday-Thursday, 7:30 pm; Friday-Saturday, 8:00 pm; Saturday matinee, 2:00 pm
Senior Matinee (June 1): Our Senior Matinee Program provides ages 62 and older with an affordable way to participate in live theatre in a convenient daytime performance. Our Senior Matinees make a great outing for retirement communities, senior centers, book clubs, church groups and more.
Student Matinee (June 7): With $10 tickets, plus study guides and a post-play discussion, our student matinees enhance student education, providing theatre as a tool and springboard for learning, growth and communication. Plus they partially fulfill EALRs.
Post-Play Discussions: Regular Wednesday evening performances are followed by a complimentary question and answer discussion with the cast and director.
Comments