Review: 3X3 FESTIVAL: HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED at Brookfield Theater Of The Arts

The Brookfield Theatre of the Arts’ 3X3 Festival continues with August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned, the autobiographical one-man show that was co-conceived by Todd Kreidler. Following in the footsteps of Jay Presson Allen’s Tru, How I Learned What I Learned finds August Wilson- played by Jeramie Gladman- reflecting on his upbringing, his friends, and his career through a series of stories and events that shaped his life, his relationships, and his professional development.

As with any biographical piece, there is a thin line to walk between performance art and a lecture. The most difficult part about staging biographies as plays- especially in the single actor format- is that we have to grapple with keeping the audience engaged. Someone sitting in a chair and talking about their life can easily bore a modern audience. There are ways to make these types of shows more engaging and shows like Tru and How I Learned What I Learned tackle that issue in very different ways. Tru leaned heavily into Truman Capote’s personality to keep the energy up; breaking up stories with bouts of dance and gossip with friends. How I Learned What I Learned, on the other hand, uses structure. Gladman takes the audience on the journey of August Wilson’s life with a very clear direction: “I am teaching you what I learned, how I learned it, and why it is important.” These stories aren’t just a random hodge-podge of philosophical wisdom, but rather a carefully considered collection of events that are broken up into themes and laid out in a very logical way. Between stories and themes, even Gladman takes a quick break to hydrate and give the audience a chance to process. This structure not only gives the audience expectations of what the night has in store, but also gives them time to listen, time to process, and time to feel.

“Feeling” is one of the most important tools in Theatre’s arsenal. Everybody’s favorite story, play, memory, or hobby has ingrained itself into that person because of how they make the person feel. Feeling is infectious. Desire is infectious. Passion is infectious. And Jeramie Gladman used his passion for August Wilson, the life he led, and the challenges he faced to infect the audience with the desire to know more, the need to understand life in a way that was so different from their own.

The 3X3 Festival has set the bar high after the success of both Tru and How I Learned What I Learned, and now it all comes to a head with the final weekend of performances: misterman by Enda Walsh, directed by Bill Hughes and starring Joseph Russo. Misterman will run for three performances only: Friday and Saturday, October 20th-21st at 8pm and a matinee on Sunday, October 22nd at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at https://brookfieldtheatre.ticketleap.com/3x3. You won’t want to miss it.

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