[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of The Road Theatre Company’s THE TOTALITY OF ALL THINGS, written by Eric Gernand, directed by Taylor Nichols, produced by Danna Hyams and Taylor Gilbert, and running through June 7.
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Everyone, it seems, is on edge. America feels like it is bracing for impact. THE TOTALITY OF ALL THINGS is the perfect expression of that. Set in a high school in the Midwest, a teacher, Judith, a very good and very dedicated teacher, fills her class notice board with PRIDE info to support Pride month. When she comes in the next morning, she discovers a large, vivid red swastika spray-painted across her work. She is understandably devastated. But she is also very angry and demands to know who is responsible. The school principal, her ex-husband, is trying to contain the situation, hoping it won’t explode. But, of course, it does, how could it not? Something like this was bound to create a firestorm in an already combustible climate.
THE TOTALITY OF ALL THINGS is a searing examination of small-town anxiety and the kind of very human presumptions we all have about each other.
It’s set during Obama’s second term, which held its own stressors for us all. The world was changing and things we took for granted, such as fairness and tolerance and grace, were beginning to look like unsteady mirages rather than the towering edifices of hope we all thought them to be.
This disturbing event rattles teachers and students alike, and when Judith’s school newspaper, one of the most honored in the country, needs the story to be told, the boy assigned to it has his own personal motivation to get it right. The play begins as a lecture as well and morphs into the retelling of history. This has the wonderful effect of bringing you back to the classroom. We are all students and bring with us what that meant to us individually at that time in our lives. Our insecurities, our foibles, our burdens, our whimsical ever ever-changing brains. Connecting us this way is a stroke of genius. We can instantly relate, especially to whoever painted the board. Teenage brains are notoriously ridiculous, I’m sure we can all remember that truth.
THE TOTALITY OF ALL THINGS is beautifully and thoughtfully written. The characters are flawed and also utterly perfect. Their myriad of motivations are achingly realistic and true. How would any of us react to something as personally brutalising as this?
Judith’s classroom was a sacred space for her. She created what she considered to be the securest of environments for those few who helped her tell truths in her fabled paper. This event tears through the school, separating friends and family alike. Judith is a lone liberal in a town full of conservatives, and we can all relate to how hard it can be to feel understood when those around us seem to be speaking an entirely different language.
THE TOTALITY OF ALL THINGS is another phenomenal play in a long line of exceptional work at The Road Theatre. Peopled by the sublime acting skills of these fine actors, this play could never be anything but brilliant.
Now, more than ever, we need understanding and empathy. We need to see each other and not to judge. Which is nearly impossible, I know. Perhaps this play is showing us that sometimes the most shocking event can be a catalyst for change, and sometimes it can show us that what we can no longer tolerate is a big part of who we are and who we wish to be.
Tickets:
https://ci.ovationtix.com/35065/production/1231275
When:
April 18 – June 7
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 2pm.
There will be two captioned performances for the deaf and hard of hearing communities on Sunday, May 4 and Saturday, May 10
Where:
The Road Theatre
10747 Magnolia Blvd., NoHo Arts District, 91601
THE TOTALITY OF ALL THINGS Cast
Christina Carlisi as “Judith,” Meeghan Holaway as “DeeAnn,” Gloria Ines as “Ms. Carter,” Carlos Lacamara as “Principal Benson.” Gabriel Palma as “Gregg,” and Victor Kallett as “Micah.”
The Design Team
Scenic Design by Mia Okada; Lighting Design by Derrick McDaniel; Projection Design by Ben Rock; Sound Design by David B. Marling; Costume Design by Jenna Bergstraesser; Properties Design by Scottie Nevil. The Production Stage Manager is Maurie Gonzalez.