Colorado saw some remarkable theater productions this year. Many tackled dauntingly difficult subjects that left me wobbly and worried when I got up from my seat — but also hopeful that these plays will provoke the sort of conversations that may make the world a better place.
1. Emma Messenger’s stellar performance as a truculent, bitter Irish mother was breathtaking as a character study. And her daughter’s dismal legacy at the play’s conclusion underscores how important it is to investigate what makes someone so caustic, and whether there’s a way to reach that person’s heart.
2. This six-part epic took place, two parts at a time, in people’s living rooms, a strategy that probably never occurred to the producers. The talk-back became an organic part of the play, prompting conversations. The goal: encouraging longtime adversaries — gun owners and gun-control advocates — to talk about whether it’s possible to work together to stop the (LIDA revives “Happiness” in early 2015.)
3. “Grounded” (BETC Stage) Laura Norman’s profound interpretation of an increasingly unstable military pilot made for a riveting play that raises many questions about the future of war. If, as her character does in “Grounded,” our military remains on the home front while sending drones abroad to rain bombs on the enemy, how will that reverberate in our society? Without the battlefield camaraderie, can military bonds remain firm? Will this strategy encourage more attacks on U.S. soil? Why aren’t we talking about this? (BETC revives “Grounded” in January.)
4. This story of relationships gone very, very wrong was almost painful to witness, especially the final moments. When Jeff Jesmer, as a deceptively charming ex-boyfriend, viciously turns on the girlfriend he dumped, the betrayal is like a punch to the gut.
5. OK, finally I understand why everyone who’s seen the is in love with this group. (I’d make the long drive to see them in situ, but I was glad the company came to the Arvada Center with this production.) The acting was crisp, nuanced and professional. The production values were equal to any on Broadway. And if they occasionally choose material that’s not balanced on a razor’s edge, that’s OK by me. This story of a December romance offers a sense of hope and optimism for those of us confronting elderhood.
Claire Martin: 303-954-1477, cmartin@denverpost.com or twitter.com/byclairemartin
Five plays worth remembering
Denver theater companies confronted some of life’s toughest questions this year, but also offered an olive branch of hopefulness.
