Previews: WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME at Magnolia Theatre Company

Election years can bring out the worst in anyone regardless of where their politics land. It is a time where we as Americans can exercise our right to vote, and while that can provide some promise for change, a lot of the time it feels like a test of our nerves. In the countdown to November 5th with each political debate and news broadcast, the election fills you with dread and anticipation on which way the results will go, to the point that it feels like a life or death situation or that it can all be hopeless to expect any real progress to be made. This has been the natural response to every election simply because when people’s rights are on the line, that can feel like a hindrance on how much agency we really have over our freedom as Americans. But on the other hand, that’s what the constitution is for, right? It provides what rights we do have that can protect us in the face of injustice. That may be the case for some, but for the marginalized, that is rarely how it plays out, especially considering how often the government fails in their promise to protect its citizens. What does the constitution mean to you, a woman, or you, a person of color, or you, a gender non-conforming person, or you, an immigrant? 

These are the questions that Magnolia Theatre Company tackle in Heidi Schreck’s autobiographical play, WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME. Starring Magnolia’s Artistic Director, Gina Handy Minyard as Heidi Schreck, a debater who reflects on her 15 year-old self participating in debate competitions to help fund her college education while commenting on past and present experiences as an American woman who is fascinated by the constitution itself. The play weaves in anecdotes about herself, the generations of women in her family, historical legal cases concerning women, and what injustices they all endured while questioning how the constitution, specifically the 14th amendment, is not as protective as it may seem. In the first half we see Schreck giving her arguments at the American Legion with the Legionnaire, portrayed by Robb Willoughby, who oversees the debate with an intimidatingly polite demeanor. His presence as the moderator emphasizes the patriarchal atmosphere of what Minyards character goes through. In the latter half of the play, the structure is opened up as the two performers break outside of their characters to give vulnerable insights on their respective gender roles in society. Specifically Willoughby’s character detailing the pressures of masculinity experienced in their youth balanced with both positive and negative examples of their male authority figures. The play finishes with a debate on whether the constitution should be kept or abolished where Minyard makes a case with a rotating cast of debaters that will change with each performance. These debaters include college students Nya Lewis, Atlas Kessinger, Meg Adams, Shay Roth, and Sierra Jobman. 

The direction by Michelle Hayford displays the smooth transition between each anecdote that these characters highlight. You could tell each movement was organic and the characterization of everyone was natural and grounded in reality. It never felt like they were telling a fabricated story, but rather speaking directly from experience. The lighting design helped to encapsulate each emotion while clearly demonstrating the concept of “the penumbra” in relation to that vague middle ground of the 9th amendment. The scenery was simple and poignant, the debaters podium center in front of an 80’s wood-paneled wall with ghostly portraits of historical white men as they glare from behind Schreck brings a haunting quality to the brevity of how a woman feels in America. Minyard is the centerpiece of this production, her multifaceted Heidi is seen with so many perspectives on how she feels about the constitution, from fascination to confusion to hopelessness. The complexity of how her character’s relationship to the constitution grows up with her becomes more nuanced and Minyard takes you on that full journey. At the preview that I attended, Nya Lewis acted as the student debater who argued on the side to keep the constitution with Minyard on the opposition. Lewis is a composed performer, her speech is filled with wit and confidence and holds her own during the debate with solid points to her argument. 

Back in 2019, this play captured the political culture of its time, and 5 years later, it would seem that the issues discussed in this piece have heightened to a different level. In a stressful election year, the theatre may not be the first place to go to remind you of our governments failings, but you should see this production because it offers reflection and insight on our constitutional rights and how we as citizens should take agency and enact the change we need. WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME opens at the PNC Arts Annex on Thursday October 17th and runs through the 20th. Tickets can be purchased at daytonlive.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.