Review: SEEDFOLKS is a Gem at the Rose Theater

I love nothing better than a good parable. SEEDFOLKS, now showing at Omaha's Rose Theater from February 23-March 11, is "like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and put in his own garden. It grew, and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky lodged in its branches." (Matthew 13)

SEEDFOLKS, adapted from the Newbery Award winning book by Paul Fleischman, tells the story of a young girl who unites a multicultural community through her simple act of planting a handful of beans in a vacant lot in Cleveland. As her neighbors watch and wonder from their windows, they are irresistibly drawn to plant their own seeds. Gradually, they turn the trash-ridden, rat infested lot into a garden alive with plants and hope. The story swells and grows as told through the talents of a solitary actor, Sonja Parks under the direction of Peter C. Brosius.

Sonja Parks, a committed artist/activist who has worked Off-Broadway in addition to numerous notable US and international venues, is a delight. Through some incredible twists and turns of speech and mannerisms, she manages to depict a broad range of characters. She is a sweet 9 year old Vietnamese girl, a janitor (the only white family left in the building), a "dangerous" black unwanted teenager, a straw hat wearing man whom no one understands, a go getter woman who finds you can fight City Hall, and a wise old man who's made it his life's work to patch up the world one person at a time. These are only a few of the intriguing personalities that come alive on stage. Parks is quirky. She is funny. She tears at your heart. Her portrayals are so alive, it is impossible to lose interest in the 60 minute production consisting mostly of speech. The few times when she does leave the stage, she completely engages the audience in her stories.

Parks tells her stories from a simple, yet technology-amplified set. Cement blocks serve as a foundation at the rear of the stage. A series of three video screens bordered by graffiti covered narrow walls make up the backdrop. Moving images and video clips fill the screens adding all the scene changes required. Sound effects evoke the sounds of the city: from sirens to creaky steps. Together, the images and sounds transform the simple stage into an artistic and imaginative slice of the neighborhood.

Paul Fleischman said he came up with the title "Seedfolks" before he wrote the story. 'Seedfolks' means 'ancestors.' Kim, the young Vietnamese girl plants the beans to honor her father who died before she was born. Since he had been a farmer, he would notice with pleasure that the plants thrive under her care. Seedfolks are also those who are the beginning...the seeds of inspiration, the beginning of change. The various ethnicities, cultures, backgrounds, ages, and genders of those in this Cleveland neighborhood blend their differences until they are one beautiful garden.

SEEDFOLKS is a gem! The production is heartfelt. The music playing before the show begins has the audience dancing in front of their seats. The acting is fast paced with constantly changing characters. Parks keeps it thoroughly entertaining while she presents an inspiring message. It starts with one small girl. Just one handful of seeds. And mountains are moved.

Photo Credit: Alex Myhre

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