Filling in the gaps 08/11/2013 - 12:30am

Breathless and pleased from the previous performance, my friends and I decided to stay at the Mixed Blood for the next show. A quick aside about the Mixed Blood: I have loved everything I have seen in this space, but perhaps my first visit was the most memorable. New to the Twin Cities, my college course attended a performance of Neighbors one Friday night. That particular night, the lead actor Warren C. Bowles went into cardiac arrest onstage. All we could do was sit in those seats--no curtain for the stage manager to drop, no space for the audience to file out, no sounds to distract from hearing the stage manager call the paramedics: ‘I’m not feeling a pulse.’ I mention this not to trivialize this experience or market this event, but to remind us of the violence that constantly interacts alongside theater. Violence sparks theater--inspires it, encourages it, necessitates it, and fuels it. The show I saw next is a testament to several displays of senseless violence here in the Twin Cities: the violence of a flood, of losing your home, of entering an unfamiliar system riddled with paperwork, of drowning in an impersonal and terrifying process to restore normalcy and recover dignity. I was intrigued by some of the audience reviews listed online for There’s No Place Like Home: “Challenges faced on the way are twisty & dark as tornados: mental illness, flash floods, endless lines & pointless paperwork. The cast (everyday people who’ve 'been there') face their circumstances w./great humor & heart.” I will confess I had no intention of viewing a show described as including ’political content.’ In my experience, those kind of shows seem to cater to angry and sardonic cynics who crack jokes that only show off how many names and locations and dates they recall. In my humble opinion, those kind of shows pander to the kids who wore suits every day in high school. Not my thing. And so let’s say you too believe that. Okay, but this show I promise is worth your time and resists being an ‘issues play’ in a derogatory way. Rather, these performers succeed in bringing attention to a crucial issue here in the Twin Cities without preaching or ranting: they just walk you along their journey towards finding assistance for the homeless. That's all you need. Using the classic Wizard of Oz template to guide the way, zAmya Theater Project performers have carved out a path that is unsatisfying, upsetting, and hugely compelling. These characters are real because these performers and their stories are real, these situations and their ramifications are real. All performers in this piece have experienced homelessness and their willingness to present their stories on a stage to impact others is commendable and impactful. The parallels to the traditional storyline structure this piece and remind us of the necessity of these programs for affordable housing. Even if you prefer to write off the homeless, distance them and see through them, the programs in place for them fail time and again. What to do with a broken system? Unbelievable performances by Corey Walton, Richard Brinda, and Arminta Wilson, along with heartfelt support from a cohesive cast. This experience is not about refined theater and technical precision, it is about taking an audience on a journey through Minneapolis’ Government Plan for the homeless. It was absolutely stunning how unsatisfying the ‘end of the path’ proved to be. And so, stepping out of the theater into the sunlight, I turned to my friends and carefully asked them what they thought. Perhaps one said it best: ‘You know, I think that was the first time that a show held a mirror up to the audience--and I didn’t mind it.’ This show runs one more time SUNDAY, AUGUST 11TH at 2:30 PM. I highly recommend it. What this performance lacks in technical finesse, it more than compensates for in heart and necessity. Maybe even take a look at St. Stephen’s, the incredible organization working every day in the Twin Cities to end homelessness. Stifle your protests. Go see this show. Listen to its message.