Tornado
Reviewed by Deborah Klugman
Actors’ Co-op
Through May 28
Red State meets Blue State, small-town Oklahoma meets downtown Manhattan in Chris Cragin-Day’s 3-woman one-act set in the aftermath of a calamitous tornado in Oklahoma in 2013. Fifty-one people died, including 20 schoolchildren in attendance at an elementary school leveled by the storm. A microcosmic take on the culture wars that divide us, the play surveils how we react in the face of tragedy and what it might take to bring us together.
The story opens on an image of chaos and devastation (Rich Rose’s scenic design, constructed by set builder Joel Daavid, is a remarkable model of ravage and ruination.). A woman, Tanya (Jody Carlson), stands silently amidst the ruins of what was once her home. Her solitude is broken by the arrival of Jade (Anna Salvini) a college student who has volunteered to assist victims of the storm. Jade’s task is to comb through mounds of debris to find items that might be of personal use or importance to Tanya. Loquacious — given the situation, to a fault — she peppers Tanya with questions about herself and Oklahoma (Jade’s from Tennessee) until the two nonetheless forge a tenuous link. Both women are churchgoers who find solace in prayer.
Just as they’re about to pray, a second volunteer, Becca (Susie K. McLean), shows up. Unlike Jade, who’s come with a group from her church, Becca, an attorney, has come alone, flying in from New York City. And whereas Jade is looking to bond, Becca is all business, which in this case means sifting through trash and making a pile of their collective finds, all on a schedule that will keep the three of them properly hydrated and protected from the sun. When Jade suggests Becca join them in a hymn, she bristles; it’s clear that Oklahoma’s cultural terrain is as foreign to this agnostic as the flat expanse of land and sky around them.
As written, Tornado is easy to relate to, with well-drawn characters, believable dialogue and a point to make about how people from different backgrounds misread each other. The play mirrors some of the divisions that beset our nation in a clear illustrative way. It eschews caricature and unneeded exposition while effectively delivering its message.
But under Linda Kerns’ direction, not all three performances are quite together yet. Carlson’s Tanya is an empathetic presence — numb with shock but not so much she fails to perceive the emotional maelstrom of others. The performer takes her time yet her languidness works. As Jade, Salvini works hard to cultivate her character’s unthinking naivete; it’s still an effort in progress. McLean, who speaks in a consistently strident manner, sells her Becca short by emphasizing her disdain for the religiosity and general unworldliness of the other two women; she needs both more vulnerability and generosity for the drama to work.
The Crossley Theater, 1760 N. Gower St, Hollywood; Fri.-Sat., 8 pm, Sat., April 29 & May 13, 2:30 pm; thru May 28. www.ActorsCo-op.org. Running time: 80 minutes with no intermission.
