Review: SHELTERED at Theater J

There are some topics in which you hope plays conquer correctly. Topics that include dark parts of history such as the holocaust sit at the top of that list. Luckily, Alix Sobler's remarkable script and Theater J's impressive production of Sheltered, honors the topic, the people, and the story.

Sheltered takes place during 1939, Hitler is already in power and his Nazi regime is starting to spread across Europe. The story centers around a Jewish-American couple, Leonard (David Schlumpf) and Evelyn Kirsch (Erin Weaver) who are focused on helping in an impactful way. Leonard has gotten access to forty visas for forty Jewish children living in Nazi-occupied Vienna. There plan is to take applications and sort through and choose which children shall come back to the United States with them, visa in hand, and family waiting.

The first act is set in the Provincetown home of the Kirch's where they invite over some friends, couple they haven't seen it quite some time, Martin (Alexander Strain) and Roberta Bloom (Kimberly Gilbert). The Kirsch's goal of the evening is to hopefully convince the Blooms to help their effort and agree to take in the last remaining child that they will be bringing over from Vienna. Through a series of awkward conversations, drinks, arguing, and politics, it all leads to the well-done scene between Evelyn Kirsch and Roberta Bloom in which, woman to woman, mother to mother, it is nearly impossible for her to say no.

Act two feels completely different. Rightfully so, as it is set in a hotel room in Vienna in 1939. It opens with Evelyn sorting through many child profiles, exhausted and emotionally drained. One of the most remarkable scenes that I've seen in a while takes place during this act between Evelyn Kirch (Erin Weaver) And McLean Fletcher (Hani Mueller). Hani Mueller, the mother of one of the boys that Leonard and Evelyn have selected to take back to the United States, arrives to let the couple know that she would like to withdraw her son's application. Upon Leonard's forced departure from the scene, and much shock on many ends, it is again, another superb scene: woman to woman, mother to mother. Upon thinking deeply about this incredibly moving scene in which each woman pleas that her point of view is the right one, I have concluded that the two are both right. On Evelyn's end, she desperately wants Hani's son to come with them and be removed from whatever danger he would face while in Vienna. On Hani, his mother's end, she can't wrap her head around sending her child off with a strange couple to the United States, without knowing she will ever be able to be reunited. Both women are right in their stance and the scene that sort of feels like a boxing match because each line hits even harder was truly remarkable.

I extend my admiration to the designers of the production: Paige Hathaway (Scenic Designer), Kelsey Hunt (Costume Designer), Colin K. Bills (Lighting Designer), and Timothy Jones (Props Designer). This team came together to expertly craft the world of a Provincetown home in 1939 for act one and changed the same set completely to transport us to Vienna for act two. It is often rare to find all design elements work well in a specific product for one time and place and the fact that we were able to go to two in Sheltered and it being seamless for the audience, speaks volumes about these designers and how the worked with each other.

The success of Sheltered would not be possible without the exceptional directing of Theater J's Artistic Director Adam Immerwahr. Adam's delicate style coupled with his keen eye for detail makes every element from performances, design, staging, and pacing shine.

It is important stories like Sheltered that move audiences to their core. The importance of these stories lies in its ability to teach generations of folks that these events did happen and a play such as this one is even more important because it honors heroes like Evelyn and Leonard Kirsch. On another note, we are reminded: "Never Again."

Do yourself a favor and try to catch Theater J's production of Alix Sobler's Sheltered. It is a deeply moving piece about heroes that persevere through politics, relationships, and emotions in a dark time in history. You are sure to be shaken in your mind and in your heart. It's important, it's relevant, and it's profoundly real.

Run time: 2 hours and 5 minutes with one intermission.

For tickets please visit www.theaterj.org, call the box office: 202-777-3210 or email: theaterj@theaterj.org. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.

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