America's "first spouse" experiment
46 Plays for America's First Ladies, Hub Theatre Company of Boston at Club Cafe,209 Columbus Avenue, Back Bay, through August 3.Pay-What-You-Can.www.hubtheatreboston.org.
How do you define the role of America's First Lady? Nancy Reagan observed, "There is no job description for the first lady and she's only there because her husband got elected President." Hillary Clinton noted, "The First Lady role is really difficult....You have to create it for yourself."
Notwithstanding such definition challenges, five playwrights—Genevieve Gallo-Bayiates, Sharon Greene, Chloe Johnston, Bilal Dardai and Andy Bayiates—have put together short pieces stretching from Martha Washington to Jill Biden in an appropriately titled effort "46 Plays for America's First Ladies." By turns disturbing, touching, informative and humorous, this often insightful 2020 collaboration (by authors known as Neo-Futurists) has as much to say about the admittedly imperfect American experiment as it does about the very different First Ladies themselves. Hub Theatre Company of Boston—in a vivid and energetic area premiere—is bringing timely attention to White House women at a time when democracy and women's rights are very much at stake.
"46 Plays" calls for versatile actresses and an inventive design team—both of which Hub Theatre brings together under the sharp guidance of director-choreographer Ilyse Robbins in the intimate performance room at Club Café (where the 12 year old company presents a staging each summer). The multi-talented cast—Yasmeen Duncan, Lauren Elias, Eleni Kontzamanys, Sophia Muharram and Katie Pickett—smoothly portray the 46 and occasionally gender-bend as some of the presidents. The quintet—especially Duncan and Pickett—sing vibrantly on solo, duo and ensemble as well as in rich harmony under the strong music direction of Jack Cline.
Kudos goes to Emily Bearce for very effective strobe lighting and Katie Chen's inspired AI. E. Rosser ranges from patriotic and informal to parodic and casual in her costume design, and Justin Lahue brings the right ambiance and period evocations to his sets. Also look for smart puppet complement from double threat Rosser and Samantha Mastrati—with gifted actor Brooks Reeves as puppet captain (though the Hillary one is rather unflattering, and her work as Secretary of State is not mentioned ).
Do not let the lighter elements of "46 Ladies" fool you. There are revealing details about 10 slave-owning early first ladies. Some first ladies confront brutal treatment of Native Americans. The fact that bachelor James Buchanan lived with his male best friend for 10 years—here in gender-bending evocation- is seen as evidence that he was actually America's first gay president. Mary Lincoln's many family losses seem to mitigate the frequent claim about her being mad. Duncan movingly delivers a "Blue and Gray Blues" song connected with Ulysses Grant and the Civil War."
Gage Baker's effective sound design joins with a haunting projection of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the order of Harry Truman. Kontzamanys brings poetry to a modern movement sequence as professionally trained dancer Betty Ford is recalled as a supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment (as yet not fully ratified) and abortion rights. Book-loving Laura Bush is taken to task for standing by as husband George and fellow Republicans were working to dismantle school systems.
Where will future first ladies focus their talents and attention? Will some continue the push for universal health care or for student debt forgiveness? Will others concentrate on LGBT rights? Will a woman president counsel a first gentleman to carry the torch of such activism? "46 Plays for America's First Ladies" pays tribute to some and takes exception to others. Even so,this worthy effort suggests that activism for the American experiment should be the work of us all. Hub Theatre Company's exuberant premiere should inspire all Americans.