Review: TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS Reminds Us That We Are Worthy Of Healing

Advice is such a strange part of life. Why are we always willing to give advice but we resist receiving it? Maybe it's because of pride, or maybe it's because of fear. Regardless of the reason, it often feels impossible to accept guidance from someone who might not truly understand what we are experiencing. After attending Dallas Theater Center's production of Tiny Beautiful Things, I'm ready to seek all of the advice I can get.

It has been too long since local theater-lovers have been able to enjoy the charming atmosphere of Wyly Theatre, so the crowd's energy was high. We were cheering, taking selfies, and celebrating being back together for an indoor performance by the amazing Dallas Theater Center. All attendees were abiding by the mask requirement, and anyone who requested socially distanced seating was able to be accommodated. It was a pleasure to attend a show in an environment that felt safe and supportive of everyone's needs.

Immediately as the show began, the audience was chuckling. Lights illuminated a messy living room covered in laundry and dirty dishes. In came Sugar, played by the riveting Christie Vela, wearing comfortable clothes and scanning the room for a bottle of wine to open. As she sauntered around sipping her wine, she lightly cleaned, and even took a bite of food off of a plate that seemed to be outside of the safe consumption window. An important call from the original Sugar interrupted her passive cleaning spree to ask her to take over the gig. Thankfully for us, she said yes. This opening scene allowed the audience an opportunity to take a deep breath, smile, giggle, and prepare for the tough, yet touching lessons that were to come.

To me, Sugar is real. Christie Vela played the part so well that I found myself wanting to stick around to ask Sugar some personal questions after the show. I was completely invested in her stories, no matter how challenging they were to hear. Vela portrayed Sugar's brokenness and strength in such an honest manner. Sugar shared her heart with her Letter Writers, and I don't think another performer could have portrayed this rawness better than Christie Vela.

Putting on an entire production with four cast members is a difficult task, but Dallas Theater Center did what they do best and pulled it off. Letter Writer #1, played by the endearing David Coffee, went from the original Sugar to Sexy Santa to WTF. He played each of these roles well, but his best performance was as Living Dead Dad. The theater was silent as we sat, listened, and felt his grief as we would feel our own. Christina Austin Lopez, who played Letter Writer #2, also gave a beautiful, heartbreaking performance as her character, Stuck. She provided a glimpse into the healing process of a woman who had suffered some of life's most challenging offenses. Because of her convincing performance, it was impossible not to feel her pain and appreciate her progress. Zachary J. Willis, portraying Letter Writer #3, often used his gestures and facial expressions to provide us with much needed comedic relief. I found myself watching him throughout the performance, even when he wasn't speaking. Although his comforting mannerisms were enjoyable, his impressive performance as Orphan showed his true ability. It was clear that Orphan struggled to share his truth, but he found himself in a situation where he had no choice but to face his past. Willis did a flawless job portraying this character along with many others.

The set, sound, and lighting were crucial tools that contributed to the audience's investment in the characters. Large screens were hanging in the background, providing clues to help us understand where the characters were--on a train, at a park in the sun, inside while it's snowing--as they were writing their letters. The sounds and lights along with the graphics projected on the screens added a necessary element to the performance. They transported us through time and space, allowing us to invest even more of ourselves in the stories of Sugar and the Letter Writers.

The pen names of the Letter Writers (Living Dead Dad, Stuck, Orphan, Confused, I Can't Do This, Why Tell?) were intentional and impactful. They invited us to view ourselves as the Letter Writers and gave us permission to open up to the guidance Sugar offered throughout the performance. The content of Tiny Beautiful Things is for mature audiences, and there were times when I shifted in my seat because I felt so shaken by a certain letter or piece of advice. Even when addressing the heaviest, darkest of situations in the human experience, Sugar found a way to make them feel beautiful. Her words urged us all, the Letter Writers, to accept that we are worthy of healing.

One of my favorite parts of the performance was when Sugar was asked to share advice with her younger self. After a powerful performance full of the hard, honest truth about life, I found myself listening to her words and reflecting on advice I would give my own younger self. It's an interesting concept, giving advice to your younger self. Would my younger self take my advice? Probably not. Do I still wish I could give it? More than anything. Sugar's words in these final moments of the play reinforced the important lesson that was threaded through each letter and response: "[if] you believe you no longer have a right to such tiny beautiful things... You're wrong. You do."

I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to see Dallas Theater Center's production of Tiny Beautiful Things. This show allowed me to think, reflect, and heal in ways I didn't know I needed to. Sugar presented one piece of advice that I feel compelled to share: "This is how you get unstuck...You reach." I encourage you to go see the play for yourself, but if you don't, I hope you take this one piece of advice and reach for whatever it is that you want to do. You deserve it.

Details:

Wyly Theatre September 8-October 16. Purchase tickets through the Dallas Theater Center website. Recommended for mature audiences. More information about the play's content can be found on the Dallas Theater Center website.

Photo Credit: Karen Almond

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