Funny, sobering civics seminar on Rep stage
‘What the Constitution Means to Me’ makes document come alive
Through March 17, the room where it happens in Milwaukee will be the Stiemke Studio.
That’s where Jessie Fisher is performing Heidi Shreck’s “What the Constitution Means to Me,” both the funniest and most sobering civics seminar you never knew you needed.
Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s new production, directed by Laura Braza, opened Friday evening.
It’s easy to see why Fisher took a leave of absence from her current Broadway show to play this role. It’s also easy to understand why the Rep wanted her.
Her portrayal of Heidi has a sweet, ingratiating Everywoman quality. Her performance of the funny stuff builds emotional equity with the audience, who are then totally rapt when she brings the gut punches.
In Schreck’s autobiographical play, Fisher toggles between the naïve 15-year-old girl who competed in American Legion oratorical contests on the Constitution for scholarship money, and the fortysomething woman reflecting back on that — and on the failures of the Constitution to protect her female ancestors.
This play gets deep into constitutional details, including Justice William O. Douglas’ concept of “penumbras” in connection with the Ninth Amendment, and an extended discussion of the 14th Amendment, which the teenage Heidi enthusiastically describes as “a giant, supercharged force field protecting all of your human rights.”
Except, Fisher’s older Heidi points out, the force field doesn’t protect all American humans. We hear stories about battered and murdered women, including the notorious Castle Rock v. Gonzales decision, when the Supreme Court ruled a local police department could not be sued for failure to enforce a restraining order. Failure to enforce that order led to a man killing his three daughters.
Will Mobley first plays a Legionnaire timekeeper who runs the debate process, until the older Heidi has him break character and become a friendly, warmhearted actor. He’s an excellent and attentive comic foil. “What the Constitution” has some friendly fun with the strictness and squareness of the debate format, but kudos to the Legion for continuing to stage this contest.
In the final segment, Fisher drops character to step forward as herself, and to debate a Milwaukee teenager on this topic: Should we abolish the United States Constitution? A coin flip determines which person will debate which side of that question.
Three local teens are alternating as Fisher’s debate opponent. On Friday night, Maya O’Day-Biddle, a Whitnall High School junior, won the coin flip and took the abolish position. O’Day-Biddle was poised, smart and funny. She and Fisher had excellent rapport, and part of their exchange appeared to be improvised.