The Wilhelmis Go to the Theatre (Humana Fest at ATL) II

More play reviews from the Wilhelmis' trip to Humana Fest at the Actors Theatre of Louisville!

Ameriville
by UNIVERSES
(Gamal Abdel Chasten, Mildred Ruiz, William Ruiz aka Ninja & Steven Sapp)
The buzz preceded our arrival, and so we entered the theatre with excitement.
Described as putting "the state of the Union under a microscope—race, poverty, politics, history and government—examining our country through the lens of Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans", this show captures it all with amazing accuracy & inventive delivery. The three men and one woman cast clap, stomp & generally beatbox their way through the show, interweaving the stories & social commentary with emotion & wonder. This was fantastic production. The timing was on, from musical elements to present day relevance. The vocals of Mildred Ruiz made our jaws drop. It was a voice that commanded attention, and then justified it. A completely recommended show at Actors Theatre of Louisville's 33rd Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays!
Link: http://www.actorstheatre.org/humana_ameriville.htm

ABSALOM
by Zoe Kazan
directed by Giovanna Sardelli
This new show by Zoe Kazan is probably the most naturalistic show I've seen period. The set is beautifully rendered 60s-70s home, complete with the inside of the house, as only seen through windows, and a impressively large, climbable apple tree. The naturalism doesn't stop there, as the cast uniformly capture the years of depth & authenticity with each character & their relationships. Peter Michael Goetz commands the stage with a authoritative voice that matches his patriarch persona. Todd Weeks, Ben Huber, Katie Kreisler, J Anthony Crane & Stephanie Janssen pull off the complexities of the interwoven relationships between members of a large family (siblings, step siblings & sibling-in-law). Relationships are never explained, but voyeuristically pieced together by the eager eyes of the audience. Another completely recommended show at Actors Theatre of Louisville's 33rd Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays!
Link: http://www.actorstheatre.org/humana_absalom.htm