Review: Mustard Seed Theatre's Truly Touching Production of THE AMISH PROJECT

As playwright Jessica Dickey reveals in her notes in the program, THE AMISH PROJECT is a fictionalized realization of an actual event that occurred in Nickel Mines, which has an Amish community. There, several female children were senselessly gunned down in their school room by a very troubled man who then killed himself. There is more to the story, and a simple search on the internet will reveal even more gruesome details. In fact, you'll find out that school shootings have, sadly, been going on for hundreds of years. This is not a new phenomenon, but a disturbing one nonetheless. Dickey explains that the schoolhouse no longer exists, but was razed by the Amish community and designated as a grazing area with three maple trees being the only reminder of the place where the tragedy happened. To maintain their anonymity, Dickey creates characters who are meant to represent various individuals, and gives us an unflinching glimpse into the scene that took place, while also respecting their privacy and helping us to better understand the surprising sense of forgiveness and acceptance that the Amish practice, even if others still find their ways to be unusual in this modern age we live in. Mustard Seed Theatre opens their season with this intensely powerful and moving work, and it's required viewing for any fan of exceptional theatre.

Through a myriad of characters that represent the killer, his wife, the victims, and members of the community, both Amish and otherwise, we're given points of view that neatly act to enlighten the audience on the ways these kind of occurrences affect all of those who are involved, tangentially or directly. It's filled with people who represent different points of view, giving us a fully rounded take on what happened, but never exploiting it as the news media is wont to do whenever anything of this nature occurs. It completely fulfills my list of what makes a play truly great in that it makes you cry, it makes you think, and it evens makes you smile or laugh on occasion. And, it will haunt your memory long after it finishes and the house lights come up.

Actress Amy Loui delivers a bravura performance in this one-woman show. She plays many roles here, both male and female, all while dressed in simple Amish clothing (costume design by Jane Sullivan). Loui is given a distinct challenge to delineate each person she's portraying, and she does so brilliantly. There is not a false note to be found here and, really, it's simply incredible to watch her stop on a dime and completely change her tone and mannerisms, if even just for a single word of dialogue, before stepping into the skin of another character who's represented. Loui brings us humor and hope when she's one of the young schoolgirls, taking chalk in hand to draw figures that represent her family, as well as the girls whose lives were taken on that fateful day. She also gives us a glimpse into the mind of the killer in a creepy manner that's honest, direct, and chilling. But, she also shows us his confused wife, who doesn't know what to make of the people who rail on her for her husband's actions, or the Amish themselves, who gather at her home to console her. A bit of laughter sneaks in now and then to ease the tension, if only for a moment, and her role as a young Latino girl grocery clerk, gives yet another perspective that adds depth to the story as it unfolds. Loui is to be praised wholeheartedly for the way she's able to seamlessly switch between these various people, and for the way she truly inhabits each of their personalities. This is a performance that demands to be witnessed.

Deanna Jent's direction is sharply focused, and you can tell that her and Loui have worked out the subtleties that define each role in great detail. You cannot help but be moved, and that's commendable. Kyra Bishop gives us a simple, but very effective set that is framed within childlike images of trees and the sun; another thoughtful touch. Michael Sullivan's lighting is straight forward in approach, but very well conceived, with short blackouts emphasizing key moments. Zoe Sullivan's sound design, along with Meg Brinkley's few key props, also provide atmosphere which makes this piece even more realistic.

Mustard Seed Theatre's amazing and genuinely emotional presentation of THE AMISH PROJECT should be on your short list of things you must see. It's superbly crafted and touches the heart and soul on issues that are of great importance, and that really need to be addressed. It continues on the campus of Fontbonne University, in the Fine Arts Theatre, through September 13, 2015. Don't miss it.

Photo credit: John Lamb

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