The Wake

Considering the majority of actors are female, it’s perplexing that so few women-written, women-performed plays actually make it to the stage. Now, in honor of women’s history month, locally-based Theatre Limina is putting on Parallel Lives. Written by comedians Mo Gaffney and Kathy Najimy, the play was originally part of the duo’s Kathy and Mo Show. Using the same skit style of comedy used in Saturday Night Live, the play boldly addresses issues surrounding being female in our society. Although the play encompasses multiple characters and multiple perspectives, only two actors make up the cast. Sarah Cantleberry, one of the theater company’s founding members, and Mia Dodson take on the arduous task of performing the play. Debbins notes that one of the defining qualities of the newly emerging company is its willingness to take on plays written by and depicting strong women.
According to Cantleberry, the play is “an exploration of the female experience.” A reoccurring theme linking together the various characters is that of female sexuality. The characters explore dating, relationships and dealing with being gay. One of the most memorable skits within the play is the story of two conservative, older Jewish women, who enroll in women’s studies classes thinking they will be studying ways to improve their cooking and sewing techniques. Cantleberry says the play “tackles some heavy issues but is able to take it on in a light easy tone, so the audience is exposed to all of it without being weighted down.”

You said that the play deals with the female experience in a unique way, what specific issues does it shed new light on?

Cantleberry: The play deals a lot with the GLBT community. There are issues about gay marriage, the general rights of the gay and lesbian population and just social acceptance of that group. It also explores the important relationships in a woman’s life and the stereotypes that exist between men and women.

Debbins: It also deals with self and being able to become who you are and not something different.

What does it say about being female in America?

Cantleberry: I think it says that we have a lot of opportunity to express ourselves and be who we want to be.

Debbins: And it also shows that there is work to be done too.

Cantleberry: It also shows us what we’ve gone through and what our sisters before us have done to get us to this position that we’re in, and that we can use that history and that experience to help others as well. It touches on the feminist experience and says that we can help people, like the GLBT group who are having similar struggles.

Do you think that women-focused and women-written material is becoming more common with the existence of shows like the Vagina Monologues?

Debbins: Well, I think it depends. I think that so many people are afraid of the Vagina Monlogues because of the title and because it’s so feminist. A lot of companies just won’t perform it and audiences are afraid to see it. I think the nice thing about this piece is that it’s feminist and allows female actors to be a part of a very strong show, but it’s very audience pleasing, for both genders and for all people. It appeals to a large group and I think anybody could leave feeling affected.

*How will the play directly affect female audience members?

Cantleberry: I think that every woman will take at least one thing out of the play and really identify with it.

*So, then, looking at the reverse, how will the play affect female audience members?

Cantleberry: I think every man that knows a woman will not only find this hysterical but maybe see a situation that they haven’t given a lot of thought to. Hopefully it will give them a new perspective on being female.

#You play multiple characters of both genders and all ages, how did you manage to stage this?

Cantleberry: We made a lot of use out of props, each character has their own prop to define who they are. We also use a lot of body movement and expressions to differentiate the characters.

Debbins: At the end they kind of all reappear together, which makes performing very challenging.

Cantleberry: We each probably have about a dozen characters that we play. But the audience is able to see them more than once and at the end they’re all able to reunite.

Theatre Limina is putting on Parallel Lives now through April 25th at the Hennepin Center for the Arts in downtown Minneapolis.