Photo by Ross Zentner.
Ethan Hightire in "Cardboard Piano" - Renaissance Theaterworks
Ethan Hightire in Renaissance Theaterworks’ production of “Cardboard Piano” by Hansol Jung.
A well-written play can catapult an audience into a different time and place in the blink of an eye. Such is the power of Cardboard Piano, playing on the Renaissance Theaterworks’ stage through February 1.
Photo by Ross Zentner.
Tyler Cruz in "Cardboard Piano" - Renaissance Theaterworks
Tyler Cruz in Renaissance Theaterworks’ production of “Cardboard Piano” by Hansol Jung.
As the play opens, it is the eve of the millennium in Northern Uganda. In a rural village, the audience meets two teen girls. The first to arrive is the native Adiel (Tyler Cruz), who seems to be performing a kind of solemn ceremony within a ramshackle Christian church. With the help of several nameless parishioners, she strews flower petals into a circle. Adiel then forms a makeshift bed of overlapping throw pillows within the circle, as they all sing a hymn. It is a hauntingly beautiful scene.
The play really begins with the arrival of Chris (Rebecca Kent), the daughter of white missionaries who preach within this church. They welcome each other with kisses.
Much like a modern redo of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the pair is suddenly jolted into reality. Adiel reminds Chris that their affection for each other could cause her to be put to death. Indeed, these girls are living in a time of instability and political violence, not unlike the times faced by the Montagues and Capulets.
Moreover, in Uganda during this time, children are plucked from their homes and unwillingly turned into soldiers. Such uncertainty, coupled with acts of horrific violence, are part of the Ugandan’s daily lives.
A Forever Love, Inflamed by Youthful Passion but Condemned by Society
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
Cardboard Piano Artwork Full
Playwright Hansol Jung is a masterful storyteller. She takes us on an epic journey, which becomes more powerful with each passing moment. The outside world intrudes as two soldiers break into the church. The first is Pika (pronounced Pee-kah), a boy of 13, who has been brutalized by his captors. He is dressed as a soldier and carries a pistol. Pika (Ethan Hightire) is being pursued by an older soldier (Dimonte Henning), who carries a machete.
Violence and religion are not mutually exclusive concepts, and director Elyse Edelman does a fine job of carrying the audience through this dramatic journey. The multi-faceted play unfolds in such a way that the audience becomes riveted on the future of these characters.
Four top-notch actors are required to fully explore what this play has to offer. In the Renaissance production, excellent performances are delivered throughout. Well-known Milwaukee actor Dimonte Henning is at the top of his game here. He has a riveting monologue in Act II, when he emerges as the new preacher of this same Ugandan church. New York actor Tyler Cruz shifts from Adiel in Act I to emerge (very convincingly) as the pastor’s wife in Act II. Rebecca Kent remains as Chris, now in her 30s and revisiting the church for the first time since she was a teenager. Kent is impressive as she shifts into an older, more cautious version of herself. Ethan Hightire, the scared young soldier in Act I, play a completely different character in Act II.
The play is supported by its amazing set (by Doug Dion), in which the action plays out beneath the soaring beams of this now-decrepit church. Far removed from the image of Gothic cathedrals, this humble church seems to barely shelter its occupants. This is emphasized in the opening lightscape (by Colin Gawronski), as light seeps between the cracks of the church’s wooden walls. Only the church’s tiled floor promises a solid foundation.
Despite its innocuous title, Cardboard Piano is not an easy play to watch. It centers on love, forgiveness, kindness and understanding, even in the most brutal of circumstances. This is definitely not a play for children. For adults, it holds the promise of finding truth in another world, one that’s definitely far removed (or is it?) from what Americans are experiencing now. Jung’s play is definitely a thoughtful, moving journey that touches on many aspects of the human experience.
“Cardboard Piano” runs through February 1 at the same Milwaukee theater which serves as the home of Next Act Theatre, 255 S. Water St. For tickets, visit rtwmke.org, or call the box office at 414-278-0765.
