What the Constitution Means to Me, Round House Theatre, Bethesda, MD

 

Kimberly Gilbert as Heidi in What the Constitution Means to Me at Round House Theatre, Bethesda, MD. Photo by Kent Kondo.

At its most fundamental level, theatre is a form of storytelling in which the storyteller relates events and emotions he or she has experienced in a way that allows the listener to understand and benefit on some level. It may be merely the consideration of a different viewpoint or something of more consequence.

What is currently unfolding on the stage at Bethesda’s Round House Theatre (continuing through February 16) is a matter of consequence. What the Constitution Means to Me, written and originally performed by Heidi Schreck, is an autobiographical recounting of Heidi, following her from the age of 15 to adulthood. As time progresses, so does young Heidi’s understanding of and relationship to the United States Constitution. The play received acclaim for productions at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, then off-Broadway, on Broadway, and on tour (including a stop at the Kennedy Center). It was nominated for the 2019 Tony Award as Best Play and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

We find Heidi in the American Legion meeting space in her hometown of Wenatchee, Washington. Heidi explains that, beginning at age 15, while also crushing on Patrick Swayze and “Dirty Dancing,” she toured a competitive “circuit” of such spaces, delivering original orations about her understanding of the meaning of the Constitution, amassing enough prize money to pay for her college education. Heidi approaches the Constitution as a living document as her relationship to it becomes more nuanced as it reflects events in her own life, with a sincere, self-effacing sense of humor and deep sense of purpose. The photographs on the wall reflect the Legion’s membership of middle-aged White men, along with one of then-President Ronald Reagan. (Members of the Legion judged the competitions.)

Heidi reminds us early on that the “We the people” as referred to in the Constitution’s preamble was not written with as diverse a population as made up the audience for that performance. It was written by and for a small but intensely powerful group of Founding Fathers, all White, property-owning men, including a number of slaveholders. It took generations before the Constitution referenced those who were excluded from the beginning, beginning with Black men and eventually extending to women, (some) immigrants, and indigenous people.

Heidi’s journey focuses much of the play on the plight and rights of women, especially as related to issues of immigration, domestic violence in her own family, and women’s bodily autonomy. We are reminded that the Constitution is regularly re-interpreted by the Supreme Court, who changes it often (some would say not often enough). She reminds us, for example, that it was not until the 1960s that the Supreme Court recognized the rights of married women to use birth control. She informs us that at least one Supreme Court justice deciding that particular issue was married and engaging in dalliances with a much-younger woman, and treats us to some sound clips of justices discussing the issue. We also hear more recent remarks, notably those of Justice Clarence Thomas, as he searches for (and fails to find) a “right to privacy” in the Constitution.

The Fourteenth Amendment receives a great deal of focus: currently an extremely hot topic because of the current President’s desire to eliminate “birthright citizenship,” which is at the very heart of the first section of the amendment. This section also includes the right to “due process of law” and “equal protection of the laws,” both key concepts that regularly form the basis of court rulings. It helps that when programs are handed to the audience, a pocket edition of the Constitution is included.  

Heidi is not the only character in the play. Mike, who is introduced as a Legionnaire, later serves as timekeeper for the oratorical contest and then for a debate at the end of the play, and takes on a different contemporary persona, describing his experience and relationship to the Constitution as a man. Schrek’s play, like the Constitution, has its own life: it has been revised/updated to reflect more current perspectives than when it was first produced in 2017. The program notes that Danny Wolohan, director Morgan Gould, and actor Michael Glenn are credited with “additional material” supplementing the original play. At the conclusion of the play, Mike moderates a “live” debate between the actress playing Heidi and a high school debater, as to whether we should retain or abandon our current Constitution. After the debate, an audience member is asked to serve as the final judge.

Kimberly Gilbert and Michael Glenn in What the Constitution Means to Me. Photo by Kent Kondo.

Kimberly Gilbert in essence plays three characters: teenaged Heidi, adult Heidi, and finally herself. Gilbert’s presence is so comfortable and not at all “actor-ish”, it sometimes becomes challenging to remember that this is an actress playing a role, not a person recounting her own life experiences. It is a showcase of naturalistic acting. I cannot but think that taking on the role the playwright wrote for herself is a daunting challenge. The apparent effortlessness with which Gilbert plays her character(s) demonstrates how much effort has gone into the performance.

Mike as a character primarily exists to fulfill dramatic functions, but through the monologue about Mike’s identity, actor Michael Glenn matches the sincerity of Gilbert’s performance. Fadekemi Laniyonu was the sharp-as-a-tack high school debater at the performance I attended; Kat Pascual alternates performances with her. It has been a number of years since I last saw (and judged) high school debaters. If Laniyonu is an indicator, it is safe to say that high school debate has become even more skilled than it was some years ago.

Director Morgan Gould keeps things moving in an unforced manner, making excellent use of the Round House space. Scenic designer Shoko Kambara has created a setting with amazing attention to detail, down to and including ceiling fans that are not used, but would certainly be found in a Legion Hall. Costume designer Taylor S. Payne gives Heidi an efficient outfit, including medals from competitions on a very adult-looking jacket, which she removes at one point but puts on again for the final debate. Mike’s costume similarly shifts from Legionnaire to nerdy moderator. The changes in Minjoo Kim’s lighting design are so subtle they may go unnoticed by the audience, though effectively focusing our attention. Delaney Bray’s sound design suits the Round House’s intimate space as well as the intimate nature of the play.

The play could not receive a more timely run in a more significant venue in the suburbs of the hub of American politics.

Kimberly Gilbert, Debater Fadekemi Laniyonu, and Michael Glenn after the debate in What the Constititution Means to Me. Photo by Kent Kondo.