Review: THE SENSATIONAL SEA MINK-ETTES World Premiere at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

A section of stadium bleachers and floodlights fill the stage. The set is towering, almost intimidating. One by one, the members of the Sea Mink-ette majorette dance team enter, each in the midst of intense training. Homecoming, after all, is fast approaching, and they can’t waste a second of preparation for their big half-time performance. No matter that two team members haven’t shown up in days, ex-captain Maya (Kimberly Dodson) is more focused on her thesis than the team, Kiera "Kiki" (Sabrina Lynne Sawyer) won’t stop talking about Beyoncé, all Racquel (Kalen Robinson) and Gabby (Khalia Muhammad) do is mess around, and the new girl Aleyse (Lauren Fraites) can’t stay on beat. Everyone is expecting perfection and the Sea Mink-ette’s captain Shanteé (Billie Krishawn) is determined to deliver at all costs. 

Naturally, this high-pressure environment inspires a host of complications. As Homecoming draws near, the teammates battle malfunctioning facilities, disobedient bodies, deep-seated insecurities, rising tempers, and the ever-present weight of others’ expectations. And that’s about where the predictability of Vivian J.O. Barnes’ The Sensational Sea Mink-ettes ends. As the women push themselves further and further, reality itself begins to shift in new, horrifying ways. 

“We just have to make it to Homecoming,” Shanteé repeatedly assures her teammates, even as the very structures around them shatter. But with the odds increasingly stacked against them, one by one, the Sea Mink-ettes begin to question whether the relentless pursuit of perfection is worth the toll on their minds, bodies, and relationships. 

The Sensational Sea Mink-ettes is a wholly unique production that offers a refreshing exploration (or rather, indictment) of the mental and physical toll of hustle culture, asking audiences to consider what delights may arise when we just stop. It is belly-laugh funny, delightfully raunchy, and genuinely frightening at times. The ways it contends with themes of bodily self-control and pleasure are fascinating and wonderfully executed. It’s also a beautiful portrait of this team of women--vibrant characters brought flawlessly to life by the cast. The camaraderie, the envy, and the adoration they feel for one another are palpable. It's impossible not to cheer them on.

Congratulations to Barnes, the cast, and their excellent director, Taylor Reynolds, for this astoundingly good premiere. 

Please go see this show! The Sensational Sea Mink-Ettes is on stage at Woolly Mammoth Theatre through March 3. Run-time is 90 minutes without an intermission. Purchase tickets here. 

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