DORSET – The Dorset Players will continue their historical run towards 100 seasons by opening their 98th with a popular modern offering, Heidi Schrek’s award-winning “What the Constitution Means to Me,” directed by Dana Haley and produced by Renee Wymer.
The play was commissioned in 2017 and for a number of years Schreck performed in it before its popularity grew and more productions cropped up all over the country. It combines first person storytelling and reflections on history to look at the weighty influence of the U.S. Constitution on society, particularly on American women. It has won numerous awards (including 2019 Obie) and been a finalist for many others (including 2019 Pulitzer).
In it, Heidi (Elisabeth Hazelton) recounts her time as a self-described “horny 15-year old” earning college tuition by winning debate competitions on the Constitution, events mostly taking place in American Legion halls.
As Heidi moves one to an older version of herself, she continues to wrestle, in ways both funny and poignant, with the concepts of constitutional rights, gender equality, and the document’s potential to evolve to fit modern America. Along the way she is joined by the Legionnaire and Mike (David McAneny) and the Debater (Finley Allen), and ends with an audience-participation live debate on whether the Constitution should be abolished.
Director Haley said that her approach was to lean into the play’s hybrid nature: part memoir, part civic lecture, and part live debate.
“It’s not your traditional play, and so hopefully, I’ve created it as an ongoing conversation that the audience is part of,” Haley said in a break from rehearsals. “That means encouraging the actors to connect directly, break the fourth wall by looking and talking directly at the audience, and encourage the audience to respond honestly and enthusiastically to what is happening onstage. Then, in turn, the actors have to respond authentically.”
An important element to staging this story, Haley continued, was to emphasize contrasts.
“By highlighting the shifts of humor against grief, history against personal memory, and the structure of debate against the rawness of confession, the play stays dynamic and unpredictable, even for those who know its reputation,” Haley said.
Hazelton, who is this season’s co-executive producer with Paul Michael Brinker, said that reputation is what led her to the lead role. She read the script a year ago as the play was being looked at by the Players’ selection committee, and became immediately enthusiastic on its potential. She said that Brinker encouraged her to find a director willing to take on the project, and having worked with Haley before, she has been able to get her best work into the performance.
“The power in Heidi’s words is undeniable, and Dana’s phenomenal direction has helped me harness it and use it in the show,” Hazelton said. “I really wanted Heidi to be heard in today’s climate and culture. Her eloquence on the many subjects touched upon in this play is inspirational.”
Hazelton added that she has learned so much not only about the Constitution itself, but about its lasting impact.
“This document has shaped American history for better and for worse, and our everyday lives have been, and continue to be, touched and molded by it,” Hazelton said. I knew this was going to be a huge endeavor, and gave myself months with Heidi’s beautiful script.”
Producer Wymer nodded in agreement, saying that every element of staging the play has a way of finding itself back to the meaning of the Constitution. She described the show as unique and unlike any project she had worked on.
“Even elements like lighting and sound are different,” Wymer said. “For example, our audience is an important part of the experience, so the house will never be fully dark. We need to see [emphasis] everyone.”
Community collaboration was also vital, Wymer explained.
“The play is set in a VFW hall and we thought it would be special to decorate it with photos of our local veteran heroes,” Wymer said. “Our stage managers collected and framed pictures shared by our neighbors. It’s not just a set. It’s a tribute.”
Wymer also mentioned the actual document, noting that cost issues arose as the script calls for every audience member to be handed a copy of the Constitution.
“Obviously, a typical show budget does not allot for a take-home gift, so we worked with the Vermont chapter of the ACLU, who were able to order pocket Constitutions for us at a discount, and Sam’s Pizza in Manchester, who covered the remaining cost. It’s been a very local effort,” Wymer said.
The show is stage managed by Julie Redington, with lights by David V. Groupe, sound by Brian Miksis, technical board operation by Evan Miksis, set by McAneny, Jonathon Pate, and Annie Nash, with Nash also serving as prop master and wizard of all things.
As everyone involved began heading back to rehearsals, Haley paused briefly in thought, and then before re-joining her charges, spoke to leaving the play’s theme with an open ended question, something she noted was important to the production:
“For me, this moment is about creating conversation, and honoring the fact that generations of Americans fought to protect our right to have these debates openly,” Haley said. “The hope is that the conversation doesn’t end when people leave the theater. Ideally, they go home still wrestling with the question, carrying it into their families and communities, and letting it ripple outward into something larger. What do we need to change within our country, and how do we continue making it a better place for everyone?”
“What the Constitution Means to Me” will run Oct. 3-5 with one matinee and two evening shows, at the Dorset Playhouse, 104 Cheney Rd. in Dorset. Tickets: call the box office at 802-867-5777 or visit dorsetplayers.org
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