ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Opening Thursday, June 25, at San Angelo Performing Arts Center, local actress China Young stars in “What The Constitution Means To Me,” a production that seeks to get people thinking about the laws that govern them.
This play takes you inside the author’s thinking about the law of the land, and about the decisions of our Supreme Court, and while one might expect a play like this to have a particular political lean, the reviews say that no matter where one sits on the political spectrum, there’s a much larger story that applies to all of us.
After all, the play was sponsored by both Rep. August Pfluger, and by local civics groups, some of whom have staged protests criticizing the congressman.
Young began: “[The Constitution] is something we all have a relationship with whether we know it or not.
“We’re sitting there in a very politically divisive time, not knowing who believes what in the room, but in the end it doesn’t matter because all of this is relatable.
“It really brings the humanity out of the Constitution…theres a lot of discussion in the show about how nine people, nine un-elected people, make incredibly impactful decisions for all of us.”
And the inevitable questions that arise when interpreting the law, often how it hinges on the particular interpretation of certain words and phrases.
“Are they interpreting a word because of the definition they grew up with?” She asked. “Are they interpreting a word based on what they felt the founders meant? That’s really just a guess. We can’t go back in time and ask the framers if that’s what it meant.”
The topic couldn’t be more timely, as in the dead heat of June, Americans await the results from several crucial Supreme Court cases. Ones that might decide the fate of millions of citizens. Many hinge, as usual, on only a few key words.
One major event discussed in the show is the court case of Town of Castle Rock v. Gonzales, and though we will avoid spoilers in this article; in a case whose details are almost too graphic to print, extensive debate was held in the nation’s highest courtroom around the particular meaning of the word “shall” to decide if local municipalities could be held liable for not enforcing restraining orders.
One takeaway cannot be avoided, that the Supreme Court, and the constitution by extension, seems uniquely unable to protect the personal and political rights of women.
Young says that by nature, theatre will always be political, and will always frame the troubles of the era. A theatre tradition that goes back to the Ancient Greeks, she notes.
“It made me realize that there is so much that I don’t know,” Young said. “It makes me want to dive into court cases, and amendments. Understanding how ‘we the people’ can truly use this document to activate our own rights.”
Showtime
The performance opens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at SAPAC’s Black Box Theatre.
Performances are set for the same time Friday and Saturday, and there’s a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Sunday.
A discussion will be hosted in the lobby of the Brooks and Bates center afterward, where audience members are encouraged to stick and around and discuss the play.
Young hopes that conversations after the play will spark discussion about how the founding document relates to our every day lives.
The play, which runs right around two hours without intermission, stars Young in the lead role, who has earned a reputation for being one of the most energetic and entertaining performers in local theatre.
During rehearsals, while the limited cast and crew were making final adjustments, the director said simply: “It’s been easy because China is a pro.”
While there are two other actors in the show, the bulk of the dialogue is performed by the main actress. Split into two parts, the first taking place at a constitutional literacy contest, and then a debate.
Young first saw the play on the stage in Austin. Its author, Heidi Schreck, starred in the play’s original New York run. It was nominated for Tony Awards and Pulitzer Prizes, and took home the accolades of New York Drama Circle Critics with “Best American Play” for that year.
Young said that “It was very moving, and was a lot of fun. The actress that played Heidi connected with us a lot because we were in the front row but she told the story really beautifully, and was very engaging.
“And I think experiencing that with people in the room, not just watching a recording, is its own experience. It makes it very powerful.
“Everybody is reacting at the same time. And you all start to feel the energy at the same time. I mean, that’s theatre in general.”
