Women On Top

A Town Called Progress

Promethean Theatre Ensemble’s Spring production seems to be an allegory. It’s a work of art that, beyond the story, can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning of some kind. Often this buried message within it is a moral or an ideal. Like George Orwell’s political satire, Animal Farm, or even the iconic theological allegory by John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress, Chicago playwright Trina Kakacek’s latest play, now having its world premiere, is an allegory about people striving to establish a Utopian society that allows everyone, particularly women, their personal freedom.

Ida is a middle-aged woman who’s tired of men screwing up society and being a second class citizen in a Man’s World. So she’s decided to establish her own feminist town. Located on the prairie, between the nearby villages of Backwards, Conspiratorial and Naked, Ida has named her tiny municipality Progress, to reflect her goals of feminine advancement and personal growth. She believes she can create a home where individual inhabitants are able to fulfill their dreams and reach their potential. In founding a town that would be superior to any surrounding city or town, it’s Ida’s goal to create a place where the only reason for men is to procreate the race and to lift heavy things. “Women can be on top,” is Ida’s credo.

Ida has proclaimed herself the Mayor of Progress, with a population of two. To provide some company and have someone younger who could eventually give birth to new citizens, Ida has brought Vivian to Progress. She rescued this pretty, young waif hiding in a shelter beneath a staircase. Vivian has the drive to learn, a talent for cooking and a desire to have a baby. She’s like a sponge, soaking up all the stories, lessons and maxims that Ida can dole out. But, as the play opens, Ida is helplessly struggling to fix a hand pump, so for now the two women have no water. A broken-down truck is stuck in a ditch nearby, until someone comes along who can move it and, hopefully, repair it. 

One afternoon, a vagrant young man, appropriately named Weed, literally blows into town. He’s strangely dressed as a tumbleweed. And, although he isn’t gay, Weed has an unexplained penchant for wearing Ida’s dresses. He also loves bacon and finds Vivian’s egg breakfasts and empanada lunches so delicious, he encourages her to open a drive-thru diner. Then a non-binary individual named Slim wanders into Progress. They arm wrestles with Ida, repairs the pump, digs a new well, falls in love with Vivian and encourages the young girl to explore her own options and personal talents. 

This strange play, which could stand to be trimmed, meanders around for over two hours. It rambles forward with more bizarre plot twists and relationship shifts than ever imagined. Vivian accidentally shoots Ida in the foot, which is probably also a metaphor for how the young lady spoiled the Mayor’s plan for her Utopia. When Ida’s foot becomes infected, Weed, whose parents were medical professionals, heals her. But danger lurks as there are bears nearby. 

While nursing Ida, Weed falls in love with her, but he promises Vivian he’ll still “provide the seed to make a baby with her.” The young woman becomes pregnant, Ida moves out and goes to live in a cave, where she broods and lives on char-broiled bunnies. Slim, who only wants to make money, shows Vivian how she can get rich while selling her bacon and egg dishes. Slim also sells the rights to the delicious water from Ida’s well to the neighboring towns. She makes a huge profit, and the cash flow increases as the well water decreases. Problems arise from Slim’s enterprising schemes. In the play’s most unusual scene, Vivian finally gives birth to her baby. Things seem difficult at first, but eventually work out for the best by the end of the play. And the five, fine folks of Progress solve their differences and all live happily ever after.

Directed by Anna C. Bahow, her quartet of actors do their best to tell Ms. Kakacek’s strangely allegorical tale. They include Kali Skatchke as a feisty Vivian, Teri Talo as an industrious Slim, Chris Woolsey as free spirited Weed and company member Cameron Feagin as a strongly determined Ida. Ms. Feagin’s a strong actress with a long resume that shows in her performance. Jeremiah Barr has done what he can with what I assume is a very limited scenic and props budget. Costumes by Rachel M. Sypniewski are more imaginative and artistic. And the production certainly owes a lot to Charlie Baker’s Intimacy and Violence Design.

This play is a feminist allegory about perseverance, survival and ultimately learning that everyone has something to offer society. Ironically, Ida discovers that the answer to creating the perfect Utopian life isn’t to abandon the others who are already there and start over again somewhere else. Because as one individual joins with another, the two people become three, then four, then five, and soon more folks are joining the group. Before you know it you just have another big town. The very problems that Ida was attempting to correct by leaving them behind begin all over again as part of a new town called Progress.  

Somewhat Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented March 16-April 15 by Promethean Theatre Ensemble at the Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 773-697-3830 or by going to www.thedentheatre.com.

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