After more than two years of development, Underground Railway's Debra Wise and various collaborators are presenting the world premiere of "States of Grace," a monodrama featuring Wise as Faith, a stand-in for activist author Grace Paley. Along with the Nora Theatre URT will open a new theatre in Central Square a year from now; in the meantime they're following Nora's lead and performing at Boston Playwrights' on the other side of the river. The rest of the cast includes versatile actor Owen Doyle in his first stint as a puppeteer/actor, UConn MFA Fay Dupras who fabricated most of the puppets, and Khalil Fleming a young actor seen at BCT, WFT, and Stoneham as well as on PBS.
The script combines several of Paley's unique stories with her political concerns and her frustrations as a writer, mother, and public citizen. These are woven together as a dream play which occurs one night as the writer struggles with an essay about happiness. The puppetry is incorporated into the realistic kitchen set designed by David Fichter and constructed by Will Cabell, who won IRNEs for their previous work on "Alice Underground", URT's award-winning adult drama created in 1997-1998. Debra's performance is convincing and heartfelt, whether arguing with her father, who appears from a kitchen cabinet as a puppet, talking with her spouse played by Doyle revealed as a humanette from the refrigerator , or dealing with a young black neighbor played by Khalil. Dupras, the primary manipulator, who's worked here and in Canada, is seen mostly in shadow. Incidentally, her MFA show premiered at the Puppet Showplace nearby in Brookline two seasons ago.
The show was directed by Greg Smucker, a longtime collaborator and lit by IRNE winner Karen Perlow, each of whom were also part of "Alice..." Both artists have worked extensively in theatre around Boston for the last decade or so. The original score was created by world-music composer Evan Harlan, currently on the faculty of the New England Conservatory, with credits in live theatre and film. The set is backed by an original drop, a Chagall-like cityscape painted by David Fichter, a nationally known muralist. "States of Grace" will have a special performance at Tufts on March 5th, shortly after Debra Wise finishes her appearance in Austin Pendleton's "Orson's Shadow" which opens at the New Rep shortly after this current production opens. The show will then become part of URT's touring repertory.