What The Constitution Means To Me
Orlando Shakes, Orlando, Florida • October 13, 2024
by Heidi Schreck
Directed by Monica Long Tamborello
Starring Becky Baird, Paul Vogt, Becky Spann
It may not be The War of the Roses, but this odd drama of American constitutional basics delves rather deeply into how we govern ourselves and how important fundamental political issues migrate and morph with time. The US Constitution is purposely vague on a number of key points, and my take is Jefferson and his buds aimed to make government a thing that can change with time. Example: The Constitution implies only men can govern and no minority might ever govern, however that may be defined. Women are appointed chattel, people of color are excluded. And while things may have improved over the centuries, each modification was bitterly fought over and often resolved by violence, or even warfare.
To present this story, we hear the tales of Heidi (Baird). As a child, she adored debating. It’s a good exercise for your brain: thinking on your feet and accepting elements of the opposition arguments. Heidi may be a debate nerd, but she’s a great debate nerd, managing her time and building arguments that knock the wind out of the opponents. Keeping order is Legionnaire’s (Paul Vogt) job. It’s a labor of love. He knows the rules and enforces them as the debaters talk of rape, pregnancy, and denied opportunity striking close to the heart.
The house was packed tonight over in the Florida Family Theater main stage. The Shakes space is slogging through a remodel, but this is a great alternative space. This performance may sound a bit nerdy and potentially politically charged, and it is, but it’s a fun argument to watch, and it does what theater always does best: force you to examine your own prejudices, and maybe, just maybe, nudge into a more humane state of mind. ◼
