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Tag: convergence-continuum

  • Dark Fairy Tales Abound in con-con’s ‘The Secret in the Wings’ – Cleveland Scene

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    As adults, we have the distance and wherewithal to look back at the media we consumed when we were young and reflect on how it might have traumatized us. Whether it was the death of an animated parental figure, be it lion, deer or dinosaur (The Lion King, Bambi, The Land Before Time), losing a faithful steed in the Swamp of Sadness (The NeverEnding Story) or brutal lab experiments on animals (The Secret of NIMH), we all have stories about the stories that scarred us as kids. 

    “The Secret in the Wings,” a play that features old, lesser-known fairy tales, demonstrates that scaring children with stories of harsh consequences and dark, gruesome events is nothing new; however, it is wildly entertaining. 

    Written by Tony Award-winning playwright Mary Zimmerman, “A Secret in the Wings” begins when a young child is left alone with her babysitter for the night–a frightening, gruff man with a monster’s tail. The babysitter reads to her from a book, telling her tales of princesses and kingdoms, love and magic. But these fairy tales don’t feature picturesque weddings or happily ever afters as much as gouged out eyes, cannibalism and beheadings.

    “The Secret in the Wings,” under the astute direction of Anne McEvoy, is convergence-continuum’s warped version of a holiday show. This might feel like a bizarre choice; after all, you’re not likely to pack the kids into the minivan to go see a show rife with maimings and murder. Yet, this less conventional offering is not unexpected from convergence-continuum, and it’s a decision that has paid off. 

    Tis the season for familiarity and nostalgia, and a large majority of Northeast Ohio’s theater scene is currently staging all manner of shows that tap into audiences’ seasonal desire for cheer and ease. con-con’s show, on the other hand, tells stories that–while established fairy tales–are not likely to be recognized. Both are valuable offerings, but “The Secret in the Wings” provides audiences with something familiarity doesn’t always contain: surprise. 

    In “The Secret in the Wings,” playwright Zimmerman slices and splices together a handful of tales in an especially intriguing fashion, launching into a new “once upon a time” before a previous story reaches its version of “the end.” Rest assured that all threads are untangled by the time the cast takes their final bow, but the unique intermingling of stories keeps you on the edge of your seat. When combined with the unexpected and unpredictable nature of fairy tales that don’t follow modern conventions, it makes for a consistently entertaining 90 minutes of theater. 

    convergence-continuum deploys a cast of ten players to portray the various characters in the handful of stories, including rowdy children who are turned into swans, an evil nursemaid who demands the eyes of her enemies, a widowed king determined to marry his daughter and an unamused princess who calls for the death of her suitors, among many others. 

    So varied and numerous are the characters that the cast members are not credited to any individual role. Instead, actors Calvin Adkins, Wolfgang Coulan, Michael Frye, Nicholas Hassan, Abby Jarvis, Connor Krohn, Abbey Marshall, Katherine Nash, Susan Stein and Yuval Tal are given equal billing. Director McEvoy ensures that this eager, inexhaustible cast works seamlessly together to unravel narratives as a team and that one player never outshines another. The actors energetically approach every story and can be commended for their ability to craft atmospheres that are at one minute light and joyful, and foreboding and creepy the next. 

    The play unfolds in a dark, uninviting basement designed by Scot Zolkowski. It features all the trappings that you’d expect to see in an unfinished basement used primarily for storage; there’s an old cabinet, some metal chairs along the wall, stacked cardboard boxes and racks of clothing. The cornerstone of the set is a staircase that leads to nowhere, ending at the ceiling of the theater–a confusing choice considering that the players use an inexplicable entrance located midway up the staircase. 

    Also designed by Zolkowski are simple but distinctive costumes that help the audience differentiate between fairytales, making sure that one story does not bleed too much into another. 

    Prop designer Kate Smith uses various objects that might be found in a basement to help the cast bring the fairy tales to life: a ball represents a rolling head, flexible duct hosing becomes a writhing snake, a tennis racket doubles as a rifle and a draped cloth signifies a swan’s wing. 

    Sound designer Léo Fez contributes sound effects that provide emphasis and ambiance, and lighting designer Robert Wachala uses stark, dramatic lighting to help set what are often intense moods. 

    There’s something about morbid stories that stick with us–and “The Secret in the Wings” is no exception. While it’s not a traditional holiday offering, the interesting structure and unpredictable, unhinged plotlines will certainly serve to entertain. Still, it’s probably best to keep the kids at home for this one, lest a night at the theater be the source of their early childhood scarring. 

    “The Secret in the Wings” runs through December 20, 2025, at convergence-continuum, 2438 Scranton Road, Cleveland. Visit convergence-continuum.org or call 216-687-0074 for tickets, $18-$23.

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    Gwendolyn Kochur

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  • ‘we are continuous’ at convergence-continuum Shifts the Narrative

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    Sherri Tolliver (Ora) and Noah Christopher (Simon)

    “we are continuous” is a play that tells the story of a gay man’s relationship with his religious mother, but not in the theatrical way that you’d expect.

    Instead of watching scenes where the son character, Simon (Noah Christopher), meets his husband, Abe (Michael J. Montanus), the two characters guide us through their first date by speaking to the audience directly. We don’t watch Simon come out as gay to his mother, Ora (Sherri Tolliver), and his father, Hoyt. We don’t see their reactions to the news, or come to our own conclusions about the characters’ feelings via an actor. Instead, we are told about it.

    There’s a popular adage in creative writing: “show don’t tell.” Rather than giving the reader a direct interpretation of what is happening, you give them the tools to do the interpreting for themselves. Harrison David Rivers’ “we are continuous” doesn’t play by this rule, unraveling its story with a series of monologues and vignettes spoken directly through the fourth wall.

    The intimate, emotional production of “we are continuous” at convergence-continuum is proof that not all rules are meant to be followed.

    The semi-autobiographical show by Rivers premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2022. The production at convergence-continuum under the direction of Jeannine Gaskin and Lauren Lash is the piece’s Ohio premiere.

    Gaskin and Lash approached the show with a gentle hand and simple staging. The power of Rivers’ script comes from the authentic delivery of the dialogue that often reads like personal essays. Fortunately, convergence-continuum’s actors deliver their monologues with care and honesty–both of which are necessary to make a show like “we are continuous” sing.

    The story begins with Ora fiddling with the settings on the dining room table. She straightens forks and spoons and napkins as she tells us about her son and ponders what it means to be “close” to a grown child. From this first monologue, Tolliver emits an aura that is immediately warm and nurturing, yet undeniably strong. Ora’s love for her child is at once evident, and her musings about her relationship with her son and the expectations that go hand-in-hand with parenthood are honest and raw–thanks to both the script and Tolliver’s performance.

    Our first real introduction to Simon is when he tells us about the moment he knew he was gay. Christopher delivers this monologue–and the rest of Simon’s many lengthy speeches–with confidence. Were you to run into Christopher after the performance, it might take a minute to separate them from their hyper-realistic portrayal of Simon. Christopher’s performance is most interesting in its ability to depict Simon’s gracefulness alongside a deeper, unspoken volatility that lies under the surface. Simon is outwardly gracious with his parents, but Christopher’s portrayal gives us the sense that the character is constantly tamping down a boiling frustration that is overdue to erupt.

    Not to be overlooked is Montanus as Abe. While Abe is the last to be introduced in the one-act, 90-minute show, the character slides into the narrative effortlessly. Montanus is poised and down-to-earth in his portrayal. Abe is at once likable, and his perspective as an outsider seeking acceptance from the in-laws is oh-so-relatable. His interactions with Simon and Ora also lend the production a few light-hearted, humorous moments.

    One character not brought to life by an actor, but rather by continuous reference, is Hoyt, Simon’s father. Hoyt struggles to accept his son’s sexuality, and Ora is caught between maintaining a relationship with her only child and doing what a godly woman should: obey her husband, the head of the household.

    The black box stage consists of three separate playing areas. On one side is a wooden table set for four and on the other is a bed. With the exception of a couple of chairs, the center of the stage is reserved for straightforward monologuing. Scenic designer Scott Zolkowski painted the walls and floor of the space with gray, intersecting lines reminiscent of the cracks that break a sheet of ice into individual pieces, which is both intriguing and on-theme.

    Helping to define each space are the lighting and sound design by Robert Wachala and Léo Fez, respectively. Scenes set in the family’s dining room are accompanied by the imposing tick of a grandfather clock. None of the other spaces has a consistent ambiance like the dining room, but there are plenty of sound effects to accompany the other action. Wachala’s soft lighting shifts in time and in tune with the story, using cool blues and warm yellows in a dance that highlights the characters and action.

    Coordinating with these colors is the costume design by Mia Jones. Ora wears a modest, soft yellow dress, which is in sharp contrast to Simon’s crisp, dark blue button-down. Bridging the gap and falling somewhere in the middle of the two is Abe in his jeans and button-down topped with a sweater vest.

    “we are continuous” is far from the first show to explore gay or bi-racial relationships. Nor is it rare in how it explores themes of family, acceptance and forgiveness. Instead, convergence-continuum’s show distinguishes itself by the unique way in which it journeys through those explorations: directly and with immense sincerity.

    “we are continuous” runs through Aug. 31 at convergence-continuum, 2438 Scranton Road, Cleveland. Visit convergence-continuum.org or call 216-687-0074 for tickets, $18-$23.

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    Gwendolyn Kochur

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