Magnolia Theatre returns with powerful ‘Gidion’s Knot’
A parent-teacher conference becomes a thought-provoking exploration of debate and blame in Johnna Adams’ dramatic two-hander “Gidion’s Knot,” which has its regional premiere courtesy of Magnolia Theatre Company beginning Friday, March 10 in the Mathile Theatre of the Schuster Center.
In the one-act play, which premiered at the 2012 Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, the drama unfolds in real time as single mother Corryn arrives to discuss matters with Heather, a primary school teacher. However, Heather is shocked to see Corryn considering her son Gidion committed suicide three days prior. As these women struggle to come to terms with the loss of a child and a student, Gidion’s troubled behavior, specifically whether or not he was bullied or may have been an abuser, brings eye-opening revelations to the surface.
“There’s so much about this particular conflict at its heart,” said MTC Founding Artistic Director Gina Handy Minyard who recently appeared in the Human Race Theatre Company’s world premiere of “26 Pebbles.” “These women don’t want to face the conflict initially. They almost don’t really want to be in the same room together but they have to be. They have to work through this. The mother wants to know what happened inside the classroom. What signs did the teacher see that led to Gidion’s suicide? There is evidence he was troubled in his schoolwork and relationships. They have to sort all this out because it leads to closure.
“The play is essentially their conversation. A lot of things come into play from interconnectedness to culpability. Whose fault is it? Or is it anyone’s fault?”
As Theatre Magnet Director of Stivers School for the Arts, Minyard regards the play as very relatable and vivid while also serving as a prime example of how important and delicate student-teacher relationships can be.
“As a teacher you really do care about your students and really want the best for them,” she said. “It can be quite devastating when situations happen at a (tragic level). This play (involves) an extreme circumstance, but even when a student moves away or doesn’t do well for one reason or another it becomes frustrating because you want them to succeed.”
“This script has been a real delight to work with,” echoed director Michelle Hayford, University of Dayton Theatre, Dance, and Performance Technology Director. “It is so smart with so many layers. We keep unraveling new revelations in each rehearsal. ‘Gidion’s Knot’ is (more) than just two women on stage having a confrontation in real time. It is really about the desperate need each of these women has for making sense of their mutual grief, culpability and interconnection.”
The production stars MTC Artistic Associate Andrea Morales (whose credits include the Human Race’s
IF YOU GO
“Gidion’s Knot” Mathile Theatre of the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton March 10-12; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Next Sunday at 2 p.m. $20 adults; $15 for military, educators, seniors, and students.
Call Ticket Center Stage at 937-228-3630 or visit ticketcenterstage.com or magnoliatheatrecompany.com
The play contains adult content and situations. It is for mature audiences only and recommended for ages 16 and up. productions of “The Full Monty” and “Hail, Mary!”) as Corryn and MTC newcomer Amy Handra (Assistant Director of Education and Engagement at the Victoria Theatre Association) as Heather. Handra, a Cincinnati native who received her BFA in acting from Wright State University and MFA in acting from the University of Alabama, has notably appeared with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival.
“Both Andrea and Amy have been incredible to direct,” Hayford said. “They are brave and unflinching in realizing this difficult piece.”
“Amy has a great dynamic with Andrea,” Minyard added. “They approach everything with fierceness. It’s awesome to watch them work. They’re consummate professionals.”
“Gidion’s Knot” continues Magnolia’s engaging mission to produce fresh, funky and feminine plays. The company’s season includes “Broadway Beveled 2” (April 21-23 in the Mathile Theatre) and the regional developmental premiere of Alyson Mead’s “The Flora and Fauna (May 7 at the Metropolitan Arts Center). Minyard is confident “Gidion’s Knot” will attract theatergoers willing to hear the female perspective.
“Magnolia Theatre Company is very personal for me,” she said. “It is a passion project and I want to make sure the voice of women are heard in Dayton. ‘Gidion’s Knot’ resonates and it’s the perfect time to do it. I also love the intimacy of the Mathile, a perfect space for this kind of play.”
“This play will leave you thinking about the complexities of conformity in our educational system, lost innocence, and our inability to recognize our own complicity in someone else’s destruction,” Hayford said.