Redtwist Theatre: The Totality Of All Things Review
Jacqueline Grandt, Phil Aman, Suzy Krueckeberg, Aundria TraNay, and Philip C. Matthews
Redtwist Theatre Presents THE TOTALITY OF ALL THINGS Review - Seeing Blue in a Sea of Red
TLDR: A small town high school in 2015 experiences an hate crime directed at LGBTQ+ folks and journalism teacher must decide if she should uphold her values of truth-seeking and integrity in the face of mounting challenges. The Totality of All Things is a thought provoking play about how or if friends can reconcile their political differences.
Jacqueline Grandt, Aundria TraNay, Suzy Krueckeberg. and Philip C. Matthews
How do you determine if a person is good or bad?
What things do we choose to forgive? To forget?
What battles do you choose to fight? To let go?
In Redtwist Theatre’s world premiere of The Totality of All Things, we’re taken back to a pivotal time period in the US and explore these questions.
Redtwist Theatre Takes Us Back
As strange as it seems to call a play set in 2015 a period piece, this play marks a very specific place in time. It’s Obama’s second term. It’s the year before one of the most contentious elections in the United States. It’s the year marriage equality was legalized federally. We keep these things in mind as we land in small town Indiana, America’s heartland.
With audiences on both sides of the galley staging, we’re peering into Judith Benson’s (Jacqueline Grandt) classroom. Those awful plastic classroom chairs with desks attached to them sit in front of a large wooden desk and chair. A whiteboard sits behind them all coming together for a quintessential high school classroom. Judith enters and gives us a lecture about what we’re here for - finding the truth. Now, we’re part of her journalism class, understanding that while we’re here, we are part of her mission and will be held to her standards of integrity.
It’s a crisp, fall day and we move out to the football field where Judith meets up with her fellow teacher friends, DeeAnn and Gregg (Suzy Krueckeberg and Philip Matthews), and introduces them to her new student teacher, Ms. Carter (Aundria TreNay). They share jokes, cheer for DeeAnn’s sons on the field, and pass around a fun flask to warm up their cocoa. We feel the familiarity of living here and the shared history of these teachers who have taught down the hall from one another for years.
But Can You Judge A Book by Its Parts?
But underneath the genial facade, differing political beliefs lurk. A hate crime seemingly directed at gay students sends waves throughout the school and Judith pushes one of her students to investigate the incident. She keeps pushing, buoyed by her one goal of the truth, to get to the bottom of it.
We feel the pressure building as the stakes become higher and more and more people get involved, even going so far as the school board. More than just a friendly working relationship is revealed between all the teachers and their history at this school runs deep. Then it starts to feel like Judith is a lone blue island in a sea of red. Those differences come to the surface and she’s faced with the question, can she continue on as she has been? Can you judge a person by their parts or must we take them all as a whole? Or is she herself taking things too far in an already fraught, traumatized high school?
There’s no answer, no clear moral message or calling we should follow. So we leave the theater wondering, what would we do if we were faced with the same? And especially if this was 2015, what would we do now? What are we doing ten years later? What will you stand for?
Jacqueline Grandt, Kason Chesky, and Aundria TraNay
The After Party Thoughts
For me, The Totality of All Things did a great job of reeling us in to these character’s relationships and then smashing them to pieces. It painted a picture of what felt like could be a real life situation and grew the stakes at every turn. It was surprising how much drama can happen in a small town high school and we felt the tension build as the team continued to investigate, almost like we’re watching a thriller documentary. I definitely gasped more than once during the show with all the twists.
We really believe these could be real people and real stories and so when we look back almost ten years ago and how much the world has changed, we can see how we got to today, more radicalized and divided. It really does leave a strong impression on us and makes you think can you stand to keep your integrity even when it’s easier to keep the peace?
For those who are not keen on political plays, this wouldn’t be a good fit for you. But for those that love a good challenging and thought provoking play, The Totality of All Things would be a great choice for you.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Jacqueline Grandt and Phil Aman
When
Now through January 19, 2024
Where
Redtwist Theatre
1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Chicago, IL 60660
Runtime: 100min, no intermission
Tickets
$35+
Tickets can be purchased through the Redtwist Theatre website
Photos
Tom McGrath/TCMcGPhotography
CAST
Jacqueline Grandt (she/her, Judith)
Suzy Krueckeberg (she/her, DeeAnn)
Philip Matthews (he/him, Gregg)
Kason Chesky (he/him, Micah)
Aundria TreNay (she/her, Ms. Carter)
PhilAman (he/him, Principal Benson)
Hilary Sanzel (she/her, Judith understudy)
Michelle Perry (she/her, DeeAnn understudy)
Nate Brimner Smith (he/him, Gregg understudy)
Zachary Cutter (he/him, Micah understudy)
Andi Muriel (she/her, Ms. Carter understudy)
Hugo Balta (he/him, Principal Benson understudy)
CREATIVE
Erik Gernand (he/him, playwright);
Enrico Spada (he/him, director)
Taylor Mercado Owen (he/him, stage manager)
Emily Newmark (she/her, assistant director)
Madeline Felauer (she/her, costume designer)
Jeff Brain (he/him, props designer and technical director)
Camille Pugliese (she/her, dramaturg)
Nicholas Svoboda (he/him, sound designer)
Brandii Champagne (they/them, scenic designer)
Raine DeDominici (they/them/she/her, production manager)
Cat Davis (she/her/they/them, lighting designer)