Girl Power at Its Finest

The Wolves – Goodman Theatre

 

The lights blaze revealing the nine adolescent members of a Saturday suburban indoor girls soccer team. As they warm up with synchronized, almost choreographed exercises, the constant  chatter and banter surges until theatergoers figure out how to effectively listen to this overlapping dialogue. But eventually, as the audience becomes engaged in this high-octane, 90-minute production, our ears learn where and when to focus. Like a Robert Altman film, all the characters talk at once, vying for position, trying to make their ideas and viewpoints heard. And all the while, these young women are stretching, running and kicking soccer balls like the pistons of a perfectly-tuned V-8 engine. But this isn’t just a story about a sports team: this is girl power at its finest.

Sara DeLappe’s first major work premiered at New York City’s Lincoln Center two years ago, wowing audiences and critics alike. The play went on to become a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Ms. DeLappe’s dramatic work is the very definition of ensemble acting, because no single actor stands out from the rest. In the Goodman’s stellar production, passionately directed by the talented Vanessa Stalling (“United Flight 232,” “The Hookman”), we find an immersive, naturalistic play that grabs the spectator at the onset and never lets go, until the final moment.

The electrifying exhilaration that comes from this pulsating production could light up the Loop. This magnificent play is all about teamwork, while it focuses on each individual. It’s about how young women really behave and relate to each other when not pressured into the roles that society demands. At the beginning of the production, all the girls seem alike. But within 15 minutes the audience begins to know and identify each of the nine girls as unique individuals. There are subtly nuanced differences between each character that start to emerge as we listen and watch. They’re real human beings with wants, needs and goals. The young ladies are athletes, yes; but they’re also young people, students of life, who are trying to find their way in this changing world. Their names are mostly unknown to the audience; the characters are listed in the program simply by their jersey number.

Great admiration and a standing ovation goes to each of Stalling’s fine cast. They include Angela Alise, Isa Arciniegas, Taylor Blim, Aurora Real De Asua, Natalie Joyce, Cydney Moody, Erin O’Shea, Sarah Price, Mary Tilden and Meighan Gerachis as the only adult, the Soccer Mom. This is truly a stellar cast, each with important, defining moments, yet together they create a mighty pack of strength.

Kudos also must be heaped upon the technical support artists who helped make this production come to life. Collette Pollard’s scenic design is a realistic soccer field, complete with netting to protect the in-the-round audience from being hit by a stray ball. Lit by Keith Parham, every moment, both public and private, is well-illuminated. Noel Huntzinger’s athletic uniforms and, especially, her costume designs for the girls’ everyday clothing, are genuine. Mikhail Fiksel’s original music and sound design give the production even more authenticity and Katie Berkopec’s talent at building the ensemble’s soccer skills can’t be praised highly enough.

Vanessa Stalling’s production of Sarah DeLappe’s brilliant debut play is commanding and so impressive. Her cast is a revelation and, while they comprise a team, each individual surprisingly stands out. Every teenage girl and her parents should make an afternoon or evening of this production. There’s much that can be learned and appreciated together, particularly between mothers and daughters, despite the often frank discussions and salty language that abounds. This is truly a must-see production that will be remembered for years to come.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

 

Presented February 9-March 11 by the Goodman Theatre in the Owen venue, 170 N. Dearborn, Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 312-443-3800 or by gong to www.GoodmanTheatre.org/TheWolves.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.