Woman Around Town’s Editor Charlene Giannetti and writers for the website talk with the women and men making news in New York, Washington, D.C., and other cities around the world. Thanks to Ian Herman for his wonderful piano introduction.
Washington, D.C.’s Women’s Voices Theater Festival is producing a series of plays intending to disrupt our thinking about how we operate as a people and a nation. Annalisa Dias’ 4,380 Nights may be the hardest hitting of these productions, taking us inside Guantanamo where 41 men suspected of terrorist activity are still being detained, some for more than ten years. Dias has crafted a play filled with history, horror, humanity, and, yes, humor. She is a playwright to watch.
Entering Signature’s Ark Theater, one of the actors is already on stage. As Malik Essaid, Ahmad Kamal is dressed in prison orange, his hands and feet chained and attached to an anchor in the stage’s floor. As the audience files in, he does not shy away from eye contact, yet his gaze is defiant, challenging us. As the play unfolds, Kamal skillfully takes us inside Malik’s world as the prisoner displays an astounding array of emotions trying to understand what he has done to warrant incarceration in a hellhole like Guantanamo. How can a nation that stands for the rule of law, that guarantees its citizens the right to a just and speedy trial, imprison Malik and others for years without formally charging them with a crime?
Ahmad Kamal and Michael John Casey
When Bud Abramson (Michael John Casey) shows up to represent Malik, he offers something of an explanation: “The government has created a black hole for the legal process.” Malik is at first reluctant to accept Abramson’s help, unsure whether he can trust any American. But the lawyer is persistent, saying that not all Americans approve of what is happening at Guantanamo. These tabletop conversations between Malik and Abramson are riveting. Slowly, Abramson teases out Malik’s story, how the young man left Algeria and then traveled to Paris, Afghanistan, and London where, with a forged passport, he was taken into custody and shipped to Guantanamo. Did he make a series of stupid mistakes, or was he part of a terrorist network? While Abramson seems willing to believe Malik, one of the prison’s military officers (Rex Daugherty), will go to any length, including physical and psychological abuse, to obtain a confession. This violent scene is so realistic (kudos to fight choreographer Robb Hunter) that it is difficult to watch, perhaps the reason some members of the audience chose not to return for the second act.
Ahmad Kamal and Rex Daugherty
Each time Malik and Abramson meet, more time has passed. On one occasion, Abramson brings Malik food from an Algerian store. Malik insists they share and each enjoys a stuffed grape leave. Yet Abramson must soon deliver some bad news: Malik’s uncle has died. Malik’s anger dissipates when he learns that Abramson traveled to Paris on his own to confirm the death and to bring back for Malik the uncle’s Koran.
As a pseudo Greek chorus, The Woman (Lynette Rathnam) is an eerie presence as she attempts to educate us about the roots of conflict between a Christian and Muslim world. The history lesson focuses on the war between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (1954-1962) when Algeria won its independence. But the sides were not clearly drawn. Kamal also plays El Hadj El Kaim, an Algerian who aided the French and became complicit in the torture and death inflicted by them upon Algerians. Daugherty takes on a second role as Colonel Aimable Pelissier, the French officer who shows no remorse as the bodies of men, women, and children pile up in the conflict. (There is a lot of information to digest about this war and reading up ahead of time is recommended.)
Lynette Rathnam
It’s a cliché for a reviewer to say that there’s not a weak link in a play’s cast, but that certainly is the case here. Kamal’s performance is simply astounding, and he is well matched by Casey in their encounters. The relationship between attorney and client evolves slowly, with each actor revealing sides of his character as they try to cope with the frustration of the situation and to preserve whatever humanity is possible.
Daugherty, with ramrod straight posture, never flinches in his dual role as two military officers who see their roles in black and white terms, damn the consequences. Rathnam’s storytelling draws us in with her facial expressions and graceful movements. She’s simply mesmerizing.
Kathleen Akerley’s skill as a director is evident in every scene, with no false notes struck by this talented cast.
Signature’s intimate Ark Theater is the perfect setting for 4,390 Nights, bringing the audience so close to the action that it’s impossible to look away. Scenic design by Elizabeth Jenkins includes a chain backdrop that echoes prison bars and side areas furnished with pillows and glowing lanterns. Costume design (Heather Lockard) is eye-catching, particularly the satin gown worn by Rathnam.
Guantanamo has slipped from the headlines. Dias again places it on center stage.
Photos by C. Stanley Photography
4,390 Nights Written by Annalisa Dias Directed by Kathleen Akerley Ark Theater Signature Theatre 4200 Campbell Avenue 703-820-9771 Through February 18, 2018
Sovereignty is the power that a country has to govern itself or another country or state. Collins English Dictionary
When a drunk white man wearing a Trump T-shirt stumbles into a bar on Cherokee lands and is subsequently evicted, we have our first hint that Mary Kathryn Nagle won’t hesitate to include current politics into her play, Sovereignty, now playing at Arena Stage. Indeed, parallels between the administrations of Andrew Jackson and Donald Trump are plentiful. Jackson made removing the Cherokee nation from ancestral lands in Georgia his campaign promise, just as Trump continues to pursue strict immigration policies, including his central campaign promise, a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. (Jackson’s portrait is prominently displayed in the White House and was in the background in November as Trump honored a group of Native American code talkers during World War II.)
(L to R) Andrew Roa, Kalani Queypo, and Jake Hart
Sovereignty, whichflashes between present day and the 1830s, stresses that the battles Native Americans continue to fight are not over. (While the play attempts to educate the audience about these past and current events, reading up on this troubling part of our nation’s history beforehand is recommended.) Jackson remained focused on relocating the Cherokees farther west, even defying U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall’s 1832 decision in Worcester v. Georgia that held Native American nations were “distinct, independent political communities retaining their original natural rights,” and thus were entitled to federal protection from the actions of state governments that infringed on their sovereignty.
Those within the Cherokee nation were divided on what to do. Supporters of Chief John Ross defended the rights of the Cherokees to stay on their lands, while followers of Major Ridge, John Ridge, and Elias Boudinot, known as the “Ridge Party,” saw relocation as inevitable and signed the Treaty of Echota which set out the conditions for removal. (Nagle is a direct descendant of Major Ridge and John Ridge.)
Joseph Carlson and Kyla García
In Sovereignty, those divisions continue to reverberate when Sarah Polson (Kyla García) returns to the reservation where she grew up. Now an attorney, she’s come back to help her people. Her professional and personal life will never be the same. She becomes engaged to a white man, Ben (Joseph Carlson, who also appears as President Jackson), while also using her legal talents to fight for a continuation of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). In the 1978 decision Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe, the Supreme Court ruled that tribal courts did not have jurisdiction over non-Indians who committed crimes on tribal lands. Justice William Rehnquist wrote the majority opinion, with a dissenting opinion written by Justice Thurgood Marshall who was joined by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger. In Playwright’s Notes included in the program, Nagle says that following that court decision, violence against Native American women on tribal lands “skyrocketed,” since non-Indian offenders knew they wouldn’t be prosecuted for their crimes. In 2013, Congress passed VAWA, restoring part of tribal nation’s jurisdiction. What will happen in the future remains a question.
All of this is a lot to digest in a two-hour play. It helps that the set is minimal (design by Ken MacDonald), and that Director Molly Smith maintains a brisk pace between scenes. (While the first act suffers from information overload, the second act unfolds more smoothly.)
Kyla García
García is the centerpiece of the play (channeling the playwright all the way), and she’s more than up to the task. A slight figure in a bright red dress, she doesn’t shy away from debating tribal chiefs or resisting her fiancé’s attempts to focus on her wedding rather than the law. While Carlson is believable as Ben, he’s less so as Jackson.
Kalani Queypo and Dorea Schmidt
Dorea Schmidt, the only other woman in the cast, handles with aplomb her two roles: present day Flora, who has several lines that inject a bit of comic relief into the action; and, Sarah Bird Northrup, the white woman who marries John Ridge and serves as his support during dark times. As John Ridge, Kalani Queypo plays the role of the statesman, trying to negotiate a compromise that will save his people, yet realizing that doing so may make him a target. Andrew Roa is a standout playing Major Ridge, where he delivers his dialogue in the Cherokee language, and as Roger Ridge Polson, Sarah’s doting father, who shows his softer side with his grandchild. Jake Hart is terrific as Elias Boudinot, in the past, and Watie, in the present.
The one act of violence in the play is jarring and, while making a valuable point, also strains credibility with regard to the motivations of various characters. Still, that scene certainly brings home what’s at stake for women on tribal lands who may not be able to depend on the law to protect them.
Photos by C. Stanley Photography
Sovereignty Written by Mary Kathryn Nagle Directed by Molly Smith Arena Stage 1101 Sixth Street, SW
To fans who have enjoyed – no, loved – P.D. James’ novels featuring Adam Dalgliesh, a Scotland Yard investigator who also wrote poetry, this collection of short stores, published after her death on November 27, 2014, is bittersweet. Already we miss her intelligent prose and plots that left us guessing until the last page.
We can still go back to read her many mysteries, as well as Death Comes to Pemberley, which featured the popular characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. But don’t miss this collection, which includes six short stories that unfold in true P.D. James fashion.
The Yo-Yo focuses on an innocent childhood toy. But there is nothing innocent about what a young nan witnesses that haunts him many years later. We are pulled into unrequited love between a woman who became a celebrity and the husband she left behind. Other stories include a Santa Claus who meets an untimely death, a young woman who loved to hang out in graveyards, to name just two. Whiles the stories are not connected, each one adds to James’ legacy and her reputation as thew Queen of Mystery,
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Washington Post columnist and Morning Joe regular David Ignatius also finds time to write novels, including Body of Lies which was made into a film directed by Ridley Scott that starred Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio. His latest, The Quantum Spy, focuses on the race between the U.S. and China to develop a quantum computer, one capable of breaking codes millions of times faster than conventional computers. Ignatius has done his homework, yet makes the details about quantum computing understandable. In reality, while some progress has been made towards developing this super smart computer, the research is still in its infancy. Much is at stake. The country that manages to develop the first quantum computer will have an edge and it’s a battle that the CIA does not want to lose. That often means using methods that are unethical and at times illegal.
John Vandel, the CIA agent leading the operation, lacks a moral compass, whether dealing with the Chinese, the American scientists, or his own agents. He stays focused on the end game. Nothing else matters, even a bond that was forged on the battlefield. In 2005, Vandel was at the CIA station in Baghdad when the Green Zone sustained a rocket attack. Lieutenant Harris Chang, a patriot from Flagstaff, Arizona, ended up saving Vandel’s life. Seeing something in Chang, Vandel recruits him for the CIA and, for a while, the two enjoy a close working relationship. Yet that bond begins to fray when Vandel suspects, despite Chang’s protestations, that the young man has been seduced by the Chinese. Chang discovers, much to his dismay, that he may be an American, but to many he will first be Chinese and, therefore, suspected of betraying his country. Needless to say, the racist attitude on the part of Vandel and others in the CIA do not speak well of the agency Ignatius presents.
Meanwhile, there’s a mole in the CIA, someone feeding information to the Chinese. Chang is enlisted to tease out the mole, an operation that will test his loyalties, to both his heritage and his country.
Ignatius, who knows how to craft a page turner, has spent many years covering the CIA and other agencies. When does fiction cross over to real life? Perhaps more often than we know.
Most resolutions made on January 1 are forgotten by January 31, if not before. We all vow to lose weight and get to the gym and perhaps stick to that routine for a few weeks. But like most resolutions, reality intervenes making it difficult to make any progress.
So rather than giant leaps ahead, let’s take baby steps, small things we can all do that will benefit us and everyone around us. Here are some suggestions. Even if you can take on and complete one thing on this list, 2018 may turn out to be your best year yet.
1. Once a week, get through an entire meal without checking your email or cellphone. Instead focus on those you are with and have a real conversation.
2. Write a letter to someone you haven’t seen in a while, whether a relative or a friend. Not an email – a paper letter. You just might find that putting pen to paper will result in a more thoughtful exchange than allowed in an email.
3. Read the Bill of Rights, the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. You will be reminded of the rights we enjoy as U.S. citizens that are too often taken for granted. Here’s a link.
4. Visit a tourist site in your town or city that you have never seen. Live in Philadelphia but have never seen the Liberty Bell? A New Yorker who has yet to get to the top of the Empire State Building? You don’t have to wait for a friend to arrive to plan a tour. Go on your own and discover what you’ve been missing.
Mount Rushmore
5. Read the biography of a president. Karen Rosenbaum went further and read at least one biography of each president. She’s not alone. Apparently reading the stories of our presidents is a trend. You don’t have to read all of them. Pick one. For help, see a list by Justin Wm. Moyer (click here), who says he’s still stuck on Herbert Hoover.
6. If there’s someplace you want to travel to in the future, but don’t see that happening in 2018, lay the groundwork now. Talk to friends who have been there. Begin to compile lists – where to stay, eat, tour, etc. Buy books, not just tour books, but books about the history of the country or city you hope to visit. When you finally get there, the experience will be richer and more meaningful.
7. Volunteer! OK, this many be something you’re thought about but never get around to doing. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Perhaps you can set aside one day a month to help out at a soup kitchen or animal shelter. Do it with a friend. You will motivate each other.
8. Make a doctor’s appointment. No matter your age, there’s probably one doctor you’ve been putting off – the opthamologist, the dermatologist, gynecologist, dentist, etc. Let’s face it. Some of us take better care of our pets that we do of ourselves. But being proactive is always the best policy and may save your life.
Library of Congress
9. Relax in a library, not a Starbucks. Libraries are struggling, but they provide an essential service to young and old. And we have some magnificent libraries, the New York Public Library in New York, and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., to name the two best known. For a list of the country’s ten most beautiful libraries, click here.
10. The 2018 mid-term election will be important. No matter your political persuasion, educate yourself. Start with learning who your representatives are on the local, state, and federal level. Then get up to date on the issues. Read, attend lectures, ask questions. After November’s election, the majority in Virginia’s House is still in question and will be decided by one vote! So never believe that your vote doesn’t count. It does.
We’ve kept this list short and varied. We hope you will find a few ideas to get you going. If you don’t, that fine, too. There’s always next year.
For a college English class, Joe Talbert has to interview an elderly person and write a biography. Unfortunately, most of the residents at Hillview Manor near Minneapolis suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia. Except one – Carl Iverson, a murderer. Thirty years ago, Carl was convicted of raping and killing a 14 year-old girl and then setting fire to the wooden shack where he had stashed her body. Now dying of pancreatic cancer, Carl is granted parole and sent to live out his remaining days at Hillview. Initially hesitant, Joe finally decides that Carl probably has a helluva story to tell.
Before Joe meets Carl, he does his research about the murder of Crystal Marie Hagan. The crime certainly was horrific, painting the perpetrator as a monster. Joe braces himself for meeting Carl but his fears are soon put aside. Carl, suffering from stage four cancer, is docile, resigned to his fate. While he’s been approached before to tell his life story, he’s never agreed. At their first meeting, Carl says that what he tells Joe will serve as a dying declaration, the idea being that a dying person “would not want to die with a lie on his lips.” Joe believes he will hear a confession, especially after Carl tells him: “I’ve killed and I’ve murdered,” adding, “there is a difference.”
Carl fought in Vietnam, so Joe understands the “kill” part of his statement. But did he also murder someone, specifically Crystal? As Joe begins to learn more, he begins to believe that Carl may be innocent. But if Carl didn’t kill the young girl, who did?
What begins as a simple English assignment morphs into a murder investigation that threatens not only Joe, but also Lila, a fellow college student who lives in his building and becomes drawn into his project. Joe’s family situation – his mother is an alcoholic unable to care for her other son, Jeremy, who is autistic – complicates matters. Is Carl truly innocent? And, if so, will Joe be able to prove it before Carl dies? The race is on.
Investigating a cold case is a popular theme in police procedurals. Author Allen Eskens uses this plot device in a clever way, allowing the convicted killer to tell his story. The exchanges between Carl and Joe are riveting. Carl’s story unwinds slowly so that the reader is able to absorb that facts along with Joe. Yes, Carl was a war hero. But what he so damaged by what he experienced in. Vietnam that he returned to the U.S. and became a killer?
Aside from reopening a murder inquiry, The Life We Bury is also about families. Joe has his hands full, balancing school, trying to start a relationship with Lila, and serving as a caretaker for both his mother and brother. Joe understands family loyalty, specifically how far someone will go to protect a family member. That knowledge will help him get to solve Crystal’s murder, keeping us on the edge of our seats until the end.
Just a year ago, Las Vegas’ professional hockey team did not exist. But this past October, the Golden Knights became the first expansion team in NFL history to win its first three games and are now leading the National Hockey League’s Western division. The team’s most recent victory came on December 23, when they bested the Washington Capitals, 3-0, before more than 17,000 hockey fans in the newly constructed T-Mobile Arena. Bryce Harper, a Vegas native who plays for the Washington Nationals (talk about divided loyalties!) dropped the game’s first puck.
Bryce Harper (center, right) dropping the first puck.
Because this is Vegas, the game, and everything that surrounds an athletic event, was over the top. Before the players hit the ice, a black knight waving the opponent’s flag challenged the golden knight. The outcome was never in doubt, with the winning banner being placed in a miniature castle. Drummers beat on drums with flashing lights as cheerleaders in gold costumes led the crowd with gold shakers. And when it was time to clean the ice, young women dressed in abbreviated knight costumes raced around the rink, pushing golden shovels.
The Golden Knight drink served at the Mandarin Oriental.
Ice hockey? In Vegas? Where it never snows and the thermometer rarely gets into the freezing zone? Surprisingly, there was so much pent-up demand for professional hockey in Vegas that support grew quickly for forming an expansion team and building an arena where they could play, sharing that space with other more Vegas-like events, like prize fights and concerts. The enthusiasm for the Knights has spread; black and gold jerseys are on sale at the airport and in hotels, and restaurants are serving drinks in honor of the team.
The Knights inaugural home game against the Arizona Coyotes on October 10, began on a somber note. On October 1, Stephen Paddock opened fire from a window high up in the Mandalay Bay Hotel, killing 58 and injuring 546 people. Before the game, the team honored the victims and appealed for donations to its charitable arm. In the aftermath of the mass shooting, the city is still healing with #vegasstrong seen everywhere. Security at the arena was extremely tight. There were no complaints.
Sports have a remarkable therapeutic effect in the wake of tragedy. After 9/11, New York was uplifted watching the Yankees reach the World Series. In 2013, the Tsarnaev brothers set off pressure cooker bombs during the Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring hundreds of others. The Boston Red Sox went on that year to win the World Series, giving the city a way to unite. This November, the Houston Astros took that World Series crown, allowing a city devastated by Hurricane Harvey to find something to cheer about.
There is, of course, a limit to what sports can do to soothe those who have been scarred by violence. In Vegas, the open space where the Harvest Music Festival was held, where so many died, remains silent and dark, an eerie reminder of what happened that evening. But looking at that sold out crowd on December 23 in the T-Mobile Arena, it was clear that Vegas is strong and like so many other cities before, will not only survive but thrive. Landing a professional hockey team is just the first step in turning Vegas into a sports city. In 2020, the National Football League’s Oakland Raiders will relocate to a brand new domed stadium in Vegas. Another team to cheer about, another way to bring people together, something we badly need, and not just in Vegas.
