Displaying items by tag: How I Learned to Drive

If there’s ever been a time for Paula Vogel’s 1997 Pulitzer Prize winner ‘How I Learned to Drive’ it’s now. In the wake of the #metoo movement, a play about a young woman being taken advantage of by her older uncle seems extremely relevant. Under the direction of Raven Theatre artistic director Cody Estle, ‘How I Learned to Drive’ makes its second appearance in Chicago this year. Artistic Home revived it in the spring.

If you’re wondering which one was better, it’s Raven’s. The combination of strong direction and even stronger performances makes this a more solid production. This play hinges on the lead actress in the role of Li’l Bit. Eliza Stoughton turns in a powerhouse performance. She’s consistent throughout the 90-minute run time. The script moves in quick vignettes that span from her teenage years until the present. It’s not an easy feat to make the teenage version of the character as dynamic as the grown version. Stoughton strikes the perfect balance, picking up on the nuances of Vogel’s complex script. Though, it’s not just her that makes this cast so great. Kathryn Acosta is double cast as Li’l Bit’s mother and her aunt. She achieves the humor of the dialogue in a subtle way with all the appearance and poise of a brunette Betty Draper.

Cody Estle’s vision for this show is very definitive. Scene transitions are accented with captivating projections that place the audience right into the 1960s. Again, think ‘Mad Men’. There’s a branded quality to this show that feels exceedingly professional. The art of subtlety might be the real star. Estle has mined this play for all the psychological tells of abuse that Vogel nestles into the dialogue. The characters never go over the top, which can easily be done in such a juicy play. This feels like real life despite Vogel’s unique storytelling device of driving lessons as a means to propel the action.

‘How I Learned to Drive’ is by now a modern American classic. Perhaps too risqué for high school drama, but it now finds itself within the cannon beside ‘Rabbit Hole’ and ‘Dinner with Friends.’ An essential play for our modern times. Vogel has continued to be a voice for women in an art that is even still somewhat dominated by male playwrights. Raven Theatre does the script its justice in a time in which it would be nearly impossible to separate it from the #metoo and #timesup movements. Perhaps Vogel was eerily ahead of her time. If you’ve been meaning to see a faithful production of this play, Raven Theatre Company has you covered.

Through March 24 at Raven Theatre Company. 6157 N Clark St. 773-338-2177

Never has there been a more relevant time for Paula Vogel’s 1998 Pulitzer Prize winner ‘How I Learned to Drive’. By now, it’s considered a modern classic and has certainly made Vogel a hot playwright ever since. The fact that this play is now twenty years old and is arguably more topical now than when it premiered is unsettling. The Artistic Home Ensemble is reviving this play in hopes that we don’t have cultural amnesia regarding sexual abuse.

‘How I Learned to Drive’ is simply staged. There’s a few seats on a platform to be the car, and then a few other small set pieces here and there. What’s not so simple is Vogel’s narrative structure. This is almost like a personal essay come to life. Non-linear, or non-traditional structure is a hallmark of Vogel’s work. In this play, Li’l Bit (Elizabeth Birnkrant) relates how her uncle taught her how to drive and also taught her about adult love.

Using driving and cars as a structure, Vogel spins Li’l Bit’s story about growing up in 1960s conservative Maryland. Intermittently, she includes cleverly constructed nuggets of sexual wisdom learned from her mother and grandmother. As Li’l Bit matures into a woman, she notices how the world around her changes. Her Uncle Peck (John Mossman) takes advantage of her isolated feeling. What adds layers to a familiar story are the moments when Li’l Bit initiates or at the very least plays into a pedophile’s hand. There are such moments of tender depth that you nearly forget how illegal their affair is.

With an almost absence of scenery to hide behind, Elizabeth Birnkrant plays to the comedy in the script. She’s often more engaging to watch when she’s portraying Li’l Bit in her teenage years. Adults are quick to forget the agony of being so unavoidably vulnerable. Mossman delivers sex appeal without seeming like a predator, which is what makes his performance all the more slick.

It’s tough to bring much character to the “Greek chorus” as their purpose in the play is mostly to pipe in with mortifying one-liners. Though, Jenna Steege distinguishes herself as Li’l Bit’s heavy smoking mother. She provides some pretty sound advice on how a lady (or anyone) should drink on a date.

Artistic Home Ensemble is a storefront theater that specializes in the Meisner (or method acting) approach. Therefore, their productions tend to rely more on character than set pieces. ‘How I Learned to Drive’ perfectly lends itself to director Kayla Adams’ black box vision. This story is so compelling that you don’t need scenery. The images conjured in Vogel’s script are as familiar to us as a Coca Cola ad. It’s a trip through Americana, which fittingly includes an older man taking advantage of a young woman. It’s an odd thing to comment on the chemistry between a pedophile and his victim but since the actors are both around the same age, it seems okay to say. These two seem very comfortable with each other and that makes the seduction all the more tragic. ‘How I Learned to Drive’ tells us what’s old is new again, but a 2018 audience may ask itself, does it have to be?

Through May 6 at The Artistic Home. 1376 W Grand Ave. 866-811-4111