|
Regional Reviews: Phoenix Spinning into Butter Also see Gil's reviews of Catch Me If You Can and The Prom
When a Black student at the predominantly white Belmont College receives a series of threatening notes, the college administration is horrified with the possibility of racial hostility on campus. Sarah Daniels, the dean of student affairs, becomes involved in trying to determine who is responsible while dealing with pressure from the school's president, faculty, and students. However, as the investigation unfolds, we witness the racial attitudes of the college administrators, including Sarah's, whose own assumptions and prejudices are gradually exposed, forcing her to confront the uncomfortable truth about her feelings and the supposedly enlightened environment in which she works. The title of the play references the children's book "Little Black Sambo," in which tigers chase each other, spinning around so fast that they melt into useless butter. Gilman's characters similarly spin themselves into a frenzy of guilt and political correctness as they reveal their deep-seated prejudices. Gilman based the play on events that actually happened when she was in college and she does a fairly good job in depicting the distinction between overt racism and the underlying and unspoken prejudices that can exist beneath seemingly progressive attitudes. The play questions whether good intentions are enough to make someone free of bias while also examining the ways guilt, fear, political correctness, and the desire to appear tolerant can prevent honest conversations about race. Gilman also provides an insight into how someone can believe they aren't racist while they still carry lingering racial assumptions. With the exception of a supporting role, all of the characters are white, which adds an interesting view of the white savior complex, when white people think they are the only ones who can help save minorities from their plight. The themes and questions raised in the drama still resonate powerfully today, perhaps making the piece even more challenging for contemporary audiences than when it first premiered over 25 years ago since we are still dealing with these same issues. The script isn't without its flaws, as it's a little heavy handed at times and its biggest weakness is that Sarah's lengthy monologue, when she reveals her feelings and attitudes, goes on a little too long, which slows the momentum and makes a lingering point that has already been effectively established. Still, the revelations it depicts and the discomfort it creates are purposeful and ultimately add to the play's impact. The cast is quite good. As Sarah Daniels, Kris McQuaid presents an intelligent and capable, yet down to earth, dean who considers herself progressive but gradually discovers that her own views are more complicated than she would like to admit. McQuaid gives the character an appropriately layered performance, capturing Sarah's confidence while allowing her uncertainty and defensiveness to emerge as she tries to make amends for her past in tangible ways while also dealing with her feelings of white guilt. Justin Harris is wonderful as Ross Collins, the professor whose willingness to challenge Sarah provides some of the play's sharpest exchanges; in Sarah's second act revelation, Harris' ability to say a lot with only a few words or with just his body language is wonderful to watch. Harris also brings both humor and an abrasive honesty to the role. As Dean Burton Strauss, Howie Johnson is like a bull in a China shop, conveying the character's mixture of authority and political calculation with underlying racial assumptions where he believes he's the victim, while Lynn Golden presents Dean Catherine Kenney as a polished administrator primarily concerned with protecting the institution. Like Sarah, Dean Strauss and Dean Kenney believe they aren't racists, but Gilman's script does a good job in showing how their actions and comments occasionally say otherwise. Emilio Cress and Timothy Ivers play two very different students who Catherine tries to help. Cress is excellent as the minority student who doesn't feel comfortable being labeled, delivering a realistic and layered portrayal, while Ivers is the eager white student looking for an easy way to advance himself but who also finds that his, at first, self-serving actions have educated him and might actually do some good. Mr. Meyers, played by Dan Meiller, is a well-meaning security officer on campus. Meiller creates a sympathetic presence amid the more combative personalities. Director Laura Vines does a very good job in having the cast create believable characters with realistic relationships with each other: both good and bad. Her staging makes great use of her authentic college office set design, with the addition of Jamie Bubon's lighting, which works well to depict the various times of day in the script. Miranda Blum's character-specific costumes help distinguish the personalities and positions of the various faculty members. Spinning into Butter may not be a perfect play and it doesn't always move at an ideal pace, but its strengths far outweigh its shortcomings. With a talented cast, Ghostlight Theatre's production shows how this intelligent and ultimately worthwhile drama refuses to provide easy answers about race or prejudice. It will also likely get you thinking about your own views on race, the assumptions you may carry, and whether being a "good" person necessarily means being free of bias. Spinning into Butter runs through September 6, 2026, at Ghostlight Theatre, 13541 West Camino Del Sol, Sun City AZ. For ticket and information, please visit www.ghostlightaz.com or call 623-777-9717 Director: Laura Vines Cast: |
