REVIEW: TIMELY, TIMELESS, POLISHED EXPLORATION OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION THRILLS @ GEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE

By Ruth Ross

When Heidi Schreck’s play, What The Constitution Means to Me, was first produced at a festival for new plays in June-July 2017, Donald Trump had been President for a year and a half, Neil Gorsuch had been on the Supreme Court for six months, and neither Brett Kavanaugh nor Amy Coney Barrett had joined him on that prestigious bench.

These facts highlight just how prescient Schreck was then in tackling such themes as women's rights, immigration, domestic abuse, and the history of the United States, timely—and timeless—issues that loudly resonate with American citizenry in pre-election 2024 and make this play George Street Playhouse’s perfect inaugural production of the current theater season!

And what a superb production it is! Under Laiona Michelle’s taut direction, the 100-minute play communicates Schreck’s story to the audience through the lens of both herself in the present and as her 15-year-old self as a Constitutional debater in 1989, when she gave speeches on what the Constitution of the United States meant to her to win prize money for college. Schreck talks about multiple facets of the Constitution throughout the play, but her discourse about the Ninth Amendment—which Schreck refers to as the penumbra of the Constitution (a group of rights not explicitly stated in the constitution, but inferred from other enumerated rights), quoting former Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas—is central to the show. She also includes a deep dive into the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, which discusses citizenship rights and what it means to be “American.” And, on the personal note required by the debate rules, she traces the profound relationship among four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.

The action of the play, occurring in an American Legion Hall set designed by Shoko Kambara—complete with moose antlers, portraits of past commanders, a lectern and a WWII veteran onstage represent the competition’s judges and moderator—actually affords the actor portraying Schreck (here, the inimitable Kate Baldwin) an opportunity to break the fourth wall and move from playing a teenage to modern Schreck to the actor herself. These transitions produce an intimate atmosphere in the Arthur Laurents Theatre; indeed, several times during the performance, it grew noticeably quiet as the audience appeared to hold its collective breath.

What makes this performance so outstanding is that the actors deliver the lines Schreck wrote for them so naturally and convincingly that it’s easy for the audience to suspend their disbelief and feel like they are attending an actual debate! Baldwin shines as teenaged Schreck as she bounds around the stage with energy and élan. Small gestures and body language transform her into Schreck’s adult self, and go even further to portray herself, even though most of the lines have been written for her.

Nicholas Rodriguez (above, with Baldwin) as the Legionnaire judge provides first-class support, stodgy and peremptory as he attempts to make her obey the rules. But when he, too, moves out of that role to become an actor and then himself, his wide smile and earnest recitation of how the Constitution influenced him widens the penumbra to include sexuality and masculinity, both important topics today.

Perhaps the most entertaining and exciting part is the actual debate between Baldwin and an actual student—on Sunday, Niara Beckwith (right, with Baldwin; she’s spelled by Wobirba Ekuba Sarpey)—who spar with each other over whether the U.S. Constitution should be abolished and replaced. In this debate—unique to each performance—the audience plays the role of the jury, with one audience member selected to deliver a final verdict. Beckwith, a student at a local school, displays great poise and charm as she argues her points with her adult antagonist. She wants to become an actor; with this scintillating performance, no doubt she will be successful!

Nominated for two Tony® Awards and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, What The Constitution Means to Me breathes life into our Constitution in a way that really hits home in 2024. Kudos to George Street Playhouse for mounting an important and enlightening production—one appropriate for audiences of all ages, from 15 to100! It’s the perfect antidote for a citizenry exhausted by political rallies and speeches on the eve of a General Election. We all know the assignment: Vote!

What The Constitution Means to Me will be performed at the George Street Playhouse in the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, 11 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, through October 13, 2024. For information and tickets, call the box office at 732.246.7717 or visit https://www.georgestreetplayhouse.org/events/detail/what-the-constitution-means-to-me online.