A humorous, unapologetic feminist play with gripping musical performances presses all the hot buttons

A review of the play Chicks In Heaven

April 24th, 2024

Gripping musical performances electrify the worldwide stage debut of Chicks In Heaven, a play centered on four women who reforge the bonds of friendship and feminist sisterhood that gave them strength and purpose decades earlier. Written by Virginia playwright Carol Lee Campbell and directed by Laura Connors Hull, Chicks in Heaven takes a humorous, spellbinding dive into feminist spirituality, identity, politics and activism as the story unfolds in a small Virginia town amidst book burnings and anti-abortion crusades.

While the story of old friends uniting, resolving buried conflicts and finding common ground is timeless, the play’s context provides the curious twist, the themes provoke thought, if not controversy, and the original music elevates the entire production.? It’s easy to recognize and identify with the central characters, all having evolved from the New Age spirituality of their formative 20’s into middle aged women that, despite the different paths each of their lives has taken, all yearn for the sisterhood they left behind.?

The small, 92 seat Creative Cauldron theater in Falls Church, Virginia is the perfect setting for Chicks in Heaven, its intimacy becoming an essential element of the audience experience.? There’s a familiar quality to the play’s well-cast, quirky characters and the central roles are balanced and performed with believable authenticity.??

Former ring leader of the friends, Frances (played by Karen Lange), having learned to not rock the boat as a shop owner in a small town with conservative leanings, must find her spark buried in a stagnated life of obligations and mildly tempered sarcasm. Emmaline (played by Krista Grimmett), having made Black rights activism her life’s work, finds herself defending her own value, as well as the unparalleled position of the Black experience, to an unlikely audience. Mindy (played by Audrey Baker), who can’t suppress her urge to please everyone and keep the peace, comes alive at the prospect of converting Christian zealot ‘do gooder’ mom Sophie (Played by Charlene Sloan) to the Feminine Face of God. And Tatiana (played by Pauline Lamb) sparkles with so much inner peace and outer enchantment that it’s easy to miss the small glimmer of loneliness held within the well-tended walls of self-care and personal boundaries.

Throughout the play, it’s clear the global social, religious and political struggles of the late 20th century have resurfaced in contemporary society, with the age-old battle to control women, their bodies, minds, spirituality and destinies at the center. This theme could have proved too unwieldy to execute, were it not for the central roles of music and movement that bring a palpable sense of magic and wonder to the production.??

With lyrics and music by Carol Lee Campbell, David Graziano and Rob Receveur, songs like “Left A Long Time Ago” aka “This Is Not a Song About Your Ex” would be equally at home on Broadway as on a popular indie rock playlist.? Young antagonist Conrad Winters (played by Ben Ribler), parlays “Left a Long Time Ago” into one of the show’s most memorable songs, enticing the audience to see the humanity of the character and glimpse the pain felt by a young man ill-equipped to handle his emotions, not to mention navigate the inner turmoil ignited by a young woman’s rejection.?

Sylvana Christopher’s choreography, another strong element of the production, ebbs and flows seamlessly throughout the play.? At times, the movements appear to be weaving unseen forces in spider-like fashion, and then, like a wave to shore, the choreography brings the characters down to the earth, undulating and writhing both physically and metaphorically.

A solid and artful alchemy of the elements of song, lyrics and choreography can be seen in the performance of “Monsters & Saviors”, where ingénue Phoenix (played by Lenny Mendez) moves with ecstasy and lament as she sings out the rising struggle of lightness and dark from the fragile vantagepoint of youth. She’s seeking a source of affirmation, inspiration and fulfillment from a lover, a reality that never manifests as it is dreamed. Hauntingly, ex-boyfriend Conrad and her new infatuation, Tatiana, vie for her attention, gesturing and waving like sea grass or bonfire flames, framed behind a large window and unseen by Phoenix.? The talents of director Laura Connors Hull are evident in this scene, as she tips the scales away from the actor’s weakness (vocals) to her talents as a dancer, and creates a visual struggle for the audience’s attention that mirrors the underlying meaning of the song itself.

There’s a lot to unpack in Chicks in Heaven.? At times, it’s hard to keep pace with the nuances, ambiguities or pivotal dialogue that appears and vanishes like a comment on SnapChat. The audience is left with questions, a little inner turmoil, and that seems part of the point.? With Chicks in Heaven, Carol Lee Campbell has flexed all of her muscles as a writer, particularly talented with natural dialogue, a musician and songwriter, as well as professor of humanities and scholar of mythology, women's studies and history.? She’s crafted a rich, intriguing and memorable story with Chicks in Heaven that, like a good song, begs to be revisited to experience all the layers.

**The production of Chicks In Heaven is part of the Bold New Voices initiative at non-profit theater company Creative Cauldron, Falls Church, VA.? The works selected for production focus on underrepresented women and woman-identifying writers and composers. The initiative is made possible by the generous contributions of principal sponsors Jon Wiant & Destination Rwanda, the many valued donations of supporters and of course, the audience members who continually support the theater with their attendance and enthusiasm.

Chicks In Heaven runs April 11th - 28th, 2024

Creative Cauldron

410 South Maple Avenue, Retail 116

Falls Church, VA 22046

703-436-9948

Tickets Available at https://www.creativecauldron.org/chicks.html

-Review by Max Peple-Abrams

Max is a Virginia vintner, writer, creative director, public speaker and creator of groundbreaking cultural events, such as the South African Food & Wine Festival, that seek to foster the exchange of ideas and bring rich, culturally diverse experiences to underserved rural areas. She lives on her farm in central Virginia with her husband, son & father.

Contact: Max Peple-Abrams? (804) 556-3917? [email protected]