by dick kerekes dickkerekes@yahoo.com
Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre presented something rather unique in theatre for Jacksonville. Two new plays in reader's theatre fashion by two local playwrights over two different weekends.
On April l8-20, Deborah Jordan's "The Calling", drew full houses for all the shows in a very fine performance of a play that was written and directed by Ms. Jordan who was also one of the roles.
The history of this play is interesting. Just over four years ago, Ms. Jordan's sister made a dramatic change in her life. She left a job, her home, her family, and her grown children to become a Benedictine Sister at the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood Idaho. Ms. Jordan went to see her, and was so impressed with the sisters she met and their stories; she asked permission to write a play telling their story on the stage. Her idea was met with much enthusiasm and though the Monastery had been the subject of films, books, magazine and newspaper stories, it had never been told as a play.
After forty interviews, and three years that included a lot of research and over 200 hours of taped material, Ms. Jordan created the first draft which was presented by ABET.
This was presented in typical readers' theatre fashion, with the actresses reading the scripts, held by music stands. All were dressed in black, and they either stood or sat on a stool to deliver the lines. The Lighting designs by Bryan Frank and Gordon Frank provided some interesting illumination that spotlighted the individual monologues.
The playwright played her sister Kate, and Ms. Jordan's stage character was performed by Lynn McNutt. Holly Gutshall and Bacot Wright played several sisters or nuns, using different accents. How and why each sister received their calling was the substance of most of their stories. Some new converts were as young as thirteen when they entered the monastery, others, like Debi's sister in their 40s and 50s.
We learned the history of the founding of this monastery by three brave sisters who left Switzerland to trek across the USA in the l800s into the wild wild west and first settling in Washington State. They moved to Cottontown Idaho in l907. The sisters answered the needs of the people by building hospitals, establishing schools which they still operate. In addition St. Gertrude further supports its self by building and running a museum that has over 7500 visitors a year, and holding retreats for those wishing to enrich their lives spiritually.
I found it very interesting and I gained some insight into how the sisters who answered the calling have found an inner peace. I attended Catholic school for the first and second grade and still recall the nuns that taught me even after all these years. My knowledge of sisters or nuns is much like the general public and includes things I have read in the press or seen in the movies. One medical fact I read once has always stuck with me. Nuns have fewer wrinkles than other women their age, for three reasons. Why? They don't drink, smoke and have less stress in their lives (and the latter is the key reason.)
Ms. Jordan received feedback from each audience after each performance , because she considers this very much still a work in progress. As a first draft, it is very polished and my only suggestion is shortening of some of the longer speeches. Since most of this work consists of monologues spoken directly to the audience, I think that staging in very much the way it was done at ABET would be the way to do it. . I can't see this being done on Broadway, but it certainly can find a home with any Catholic college or university or even large church. Now that the Monastery of St. Gertrude has reached their 100 year anniversary. I can envision a annually celebration with "The Calling" presented yearly and performed as a reader's theatre by the sisters, with photos depicting the history being flashed on the wall behind the performers.
The performances by the four actresses were superb and Ms. Gutshall, Ms. Jordan, Ms. McNutt and Ms.Wright made each of the characters they played seem real and vibrant to m e.
I am sure the reason for the large turnout for a play reading was due partly to the quality of the performers selected to do the play, but also the popularity of Ms. Jordan who is an instructor of theatre at Jacksonville University as Head of the Acting/Performance Program. She has directed over 50 plays locally and regionally on the college, community theatre and professional level. In addition to all these credits, she knows her way around a stage as a fine dramatic and comedic actress.
Want to see more of Deborah Jordan's work? She will be directing The Limelight Theatre production of Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf in May.
I like innovative theatre and this presentation was certainly that. If you missed it, you missed a good one.
Article Published in the May 2008 Issue of EU Jacksonville
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