Displaying items by tag: Dael Orlandersmith

What makes a life extraordinary? Is it the chance meetings with celebrities, surviving world war or is it all the love that surrounds us? ‘Lady in Denmark’ by Dael Orlandersmith makes its world premiere at Goodman Theatre under the direction of Victory Gardens’ Artistic Director, Chay Yew.

Orlandersmith is known for her non-traditional approach to theatre but ‘Lady in Denmark’ feels a little more familiar in style and content. Orlandersmith’s work was last seen at the Goodman in the spring when she starred in her one-woman play ‘Until the Flood.’ Her 2007 work ‘Yellowman’ was shortlisted for the Pulitzer. Orlandersmith tends to write single-actor pieces in which storytelling turns into character and dialogue. While the idea of one-woman-play might have some running for the exits, trust that ‘Lady in Denmark’ will hold your attention, and without the 2-drink minimum.

‘Lady in Denmark’ is basically a 90-minute monologue from the point of view of Helene (Linda Gehringer). She’s nearing 80 and cleaning up the birthday party she’d just thrown for her late husband who’d died shortly before. While turning over sides of Billie Holiday records, Helene relates the story of her life. Helene is a fictional character who lived through the privation of the German occupation of Denmark in WWII. The music of Billie Holiday has been the through-line of her life.

Between Orlandersmith’s script and Gehringer’s performance, this play touches on so many things. Linda Gehringer tells the stories of Helene’s life with such magnitude that you nearly feel like you lived the memories yourself. An impressive Danish accent contributes to a real sense of authenticity in this play. You quickly forget that this character is indeed fiction. Gehringer’s incredibly human performance reaches a peak by the end when she tells us about her husband’s illness and death. Orlandersmith includes some nuggets of wisdom on the idea of grief. While we never meet Helene’s husband, we cry for her loss just the same.

Helene tells us how she survived the occupation, managed to host a dinner for Billie Holiday in her home in Denmark but also married the love of her life and created an entire life for herself in America. Some may only think of the time they had a celebrity in their home when they take stock of a life, but Orlandersmith shows us a woman who appreciated every ounce of love in her life. There’s a lot of humor in this play but it’s well balanced with bittersweet ruminations on loss and grief. And of course, a killer soundtrack.

Through November 18th at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn. 312-443-3811

“I don’t speak for people, I speak to people.” playwright Dael Orlandersmith says in conversation about her new play ‘Until the Flood.’ Orlandersmith’s one-woman show is a docudrama about the ordinary citizens in and around Furguson, Missouri at the time of Michael Brown’s death. ‘Until the Flood’ was shortlisted for the 2018 Pulitzer in addition to its off-Broadway run.

‘Until the Flood’ is a lot like Anna Deveare Smith’s ‘Twilight’ in that it tells a story through monologue's of those involved. Instead of actors playing the people Orlandersmith interviewed, she does them herself. Though the set is sparse, her performance is transformative. With little segue, she moves through a dozen or so monologue's of people from all walks of life. In her play, no one is spared. She shows the depths of unadulterated racism as well as the subtle ways in which people may not even be aware is racism. She never presents a caricature of a type of person, but rather the human quality that has made this person who they are. Orlandersmith’s talent as a performer is that she never loses you. Through gesture and movement, she paints an entire portrait. You know these people.

‘Until the Flood’ concerns itself with the immediate aftermath of the Michael Brown police shooting, but it seems like an allegory for the place we’ve arrived as a country. It’s hard to believe that four years after the riots in Ferguson, there’s still so little accountability in law enforcement. It’s also hard to believe how politicized race relations have become in America since 2014. This play shows us why Trump won, and also hopefully why Trump (and his brand of government) will be tossed out. Even at the darkest moment of this play, there’s still a few moments when Orlandersmith makes you connect with a character. That’s empathy.

This is a brief play. Clocking in at an hour and fifteen minutes, ‘Until the Flood’ makes its point. It’s the kind of play that has so many specific character moments that it would be impossible not to unpack on the way home. That’s exactly what theater should be doing, creating a dialogue about things that are hard to talk about. It’s when we have those discussions that we learn empathy.