By Rikki Lee Travolta “A Home What Howls” is a visionary new play by Matthew Paul Olmos making its world premiere with Steppenwolf for Young Audiences (SYA) under the direction of Laura Alcalá Baker.
As the standing ovation that greeted the fine cast on opening night suggests, Baker has done Steppenwolf and the city of Chicago proud. Steppenwolf has again surpassed the bar. Steppenwolf has achieved greatness.
Taking place in Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s stunning in-the-round Ensemble Theatre in Honor of Helen Zell, “A Home What Howls” seeks to tell the tale of a marginalized, underrepresented community – as is typically the underlying goal of the playwright.
According to notes from Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, artistic directors at Steppenwolf, Olmos’ plays are deeply rooted in research. In this case, the subject matter is the displacement of native Mexican American people from their homes in mid-century California.
Wealthy White developers want to displace the existing native people of an area in California for construction projects they deem for the betterment of all people. It will require the bulldozing of the homes of long-term Mexican America residents on the lower end of the economic spectrum, but new housing and jobs are promised.
It is such a great proposition, according to the conservative Caucasian spokesperson for the project, that they shouldn’t even require voluntary cooperation from those who would be displaced. New housing will be built, new jobs will be in abundance, and the region will be of more value to all – at least those are the promises. Sadly, promises like these are rarely kept.
In actuality in these types of real situations, the poor are mercilessly taken advantage of. They are promised new opportunities for better living arrangements and better employment, but when it comes for execution, they rarely get a fair shake. They are, in effect, being robbed in plain daylight.
The play is inspired by the real-life displacement of Mexican American residents of the Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles to accommodate Dodger Stadium. However, while based on real events, the storytelling delves heavily into symbolism and imagination.
The small cast features a young Mexican American visionary and activist named Soledad, her parents Eddie and Abrana Vargas who are subjects to the Chavez Ravine displacement project, a coyote spirit guide, and he who would represent the wealthy Caucasian moral majority who have appointed themselves decision makers for all.
Leslie Sophia Pérez is absolutely captivating as Soledad. She is a firecracker of emotion, fighting for her people and for justice. It is a system that is stacked against her and those she speaks for. Pérez finds all the subtle comedic and dramatic nuances of the powerful, thought-provoking script. She creates a character that is beautiful both inside and out.
Pérez’s Soledad is most compelling in scenes with Steppenwolf ensemble member Tim Hopper, who plays two characters that are representative of a White America that has interests very foreign to those of Soledad and her parents.
Hopper does an impressive job of showing an antagonist who believes he is doing the right thing, even when logic would dictate he isn’t. That kind of self-convincing is responsible for many such displacements in civilizations across time.
In a debate with Soledad, Hopper’s character Frank advocates that bulldozing the homes of people like Soledad’s parents is in their own best interests. They will soon have better housing and better jobs, he promises.
However, better homes and better jobs never come. Instead, developers shortchange the Mexican Americans on the value of their homes, leaving them without the funds to find new ones. In fact, after using the legal system to steal the land, the developers don’t even build the promised homes. Once they have ownership of the land, they focus on building a sports arena instead.
It is telling that the Caucasian spokesperson for the project claims he was personally on hand to be gifted the land of the native inhabitants for the building project, yet doesn’t know the name of the long-missing person who supposedly deeded over the land. Nor is there any evidence that this person had any authority to gift the land of an entire people away.
Charín Álvarez and Eddie Torres are in fine form as Soledad’s parents. They appear mostly in dream-like sequences, reflecting a time that has already passed. Their story set in the past unfolds as the memories of their daughter, who is now grown and seeking justice for her people. Alvarez and Torres are both compelling and commanding performers.
Isabel Quitero is the final piece to the “A Home What Howls” puzzle. She plays Soledad’s spirit guide – the coyote. Her character is the lynchpin that gives the storytelling a modern myth identity. Quitero fits well in the strong cast.
Director Baker offers a telling of “A Home What Howls” which does great justice to the words of Olmos, in honor of the real people displaced in the Chavez Ravine building project. She uses the playing area to enormous effect and incorporates some excellent original music by April Dawn Guthrie.
Olmos is a masterful storyteller. His words are precise, yet flow with natural ease. Credit a very solid ensemble for manifesting them onstage in such a moving way. Pérez in particular shines with a certain sparkle usually reserved for magical characters, but can also be indicative of a magically talented performer.
The lighting design by Lindsey Lyddan truly benefits the story. The playing area is a rectangle of space surrounded by the audience on all sides. The successful change in scenes and movement between fantasy, memory, and modern reality can be credited in large part to Lyddan’s creative use of lights.
Peter Clare does a standout job in sound design. Laren Nichols provides a simple but effective element of scenic design – sans walls. Costumes are thoughtfully pieced together by Uriel Gómez, with the color palate matching the scenic design.
Gómez proves that you don’t have to be making fancy Disneyesque costumes or period Elizabethan gowns to make a substantial impact on a show with costumes. In both subtle and clear ways, Gómez uses costumes as a medium to adjust focus to the many sides to Soledad.
Maya Vinice Prentiss is on board as fight choreographer and intimacy consultant. Kate DeVore serves as vocal coach in cooperation with music consultant Mike Przygoda. Dramaturg is Bryar Barborka.
Aiding Baker in bringing Olmos’ words to life is creative producer Patrick Zaken. Production manager is Elise Hausken, and assistant stage manager is Kathleen Barrett. JC Clementz is the casting director for the project and David Rosenberg provides public relations guidance.
Steppenwolf has a reputation for producing outstanding original works. “A Home What Howls” (also dubbed “The House What was Ravine”) from Matthew Paul Olmos builds in intensity. Thanks to the highest quality writing, directing, and acting, “A Home What Howls” will establish a connection with everyone in the audience. It will make you think and make you feel.
Steppenwolf Theatre is located at 1646 N. Halstead St. in Chicago. The play runs through March 2, 2024, with a number of special option dates including Spanish Language-Captioned Student Matinee (Feb 16), Open Captioned Public Performance (Feb 17), Relaxed Sensory Friendly Public Performance (Feb 17), Audio Described and Touch Tour Public Performance (Feb 24), ASL-interpreted Student Matinee (March 1), and ASL-Interpreted Public Performance (March 2).
For tickets call the box office at (312) 335-1650 or visit www.Steppenworlf.org.
Production photo credit: Michael Brosilow
Cast photo credit: Joel Moorman
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