‘The Heidi Chronicles’ embraces ideologies of modern young adults

MHCC’s Spring Theatre Production, “The Heidi Chronicles,” embraces ideologies and values of the modern young adult and displays them through the eyes of an extraordinary young woman, Heidi, played by Sierra Rickards. What made this performance most spectacular is the down to earth engagement that is built between the performers and the audience. I could sense the raw emotion that the characters were exercising, and with that I could really learn something from them.

For me, what made this performance most spectacular is the down-to-earth engagement that is built between the performers and the audience. I could sense the raw emotion the characters were excercising, and with that I could really learn something from them.

In the course of the play, Heidi and most of her Baby Boomer friends live the majority of their lives wondering where to find happiness. Heidi, for most of her life, is buried under the suppression and loss of recognition that engulfed many women in the 1960s. However, she isn’t about to sit quietly. As an art historian and an essayist, Heidi is determined to give the countless heroines of art a voice on her college campus. At the same time, Heidi is seen trying to find and use her own voice.

We aren’t as far removed from the ‘60s as many women would hope us to be. Heidi definitely captures that stifled spirit within us that desires to make a difference. I like how I really got to know Heidi. Rickard’s mannerisms and speech were strong tools in revealing Heidi’s emerging powerful spirit.

I think the play’s intent was to communicate the struggles that many young women (and men) face throughout their lives. There are a few factors that made this connection successful. First, the dialogue is natural and filled with gestures and nuances. A high percentage of  our own communication is nonverbal, and this is displayed well in the play. The in-depth conversation, characters’ movements and expressions revealed their inner thought processes. I think that effect is highly professional.

Second, the progression of relationships between characters are dynamic, yet steady enough that they all age and remained virtually the same person throughout the span of decades. There were, however, moments where I felt lost as to why a certain relationship between Heidi and Scoop (London Bauman) and Heidi and Peter (Justin Wright) went sour after just being mended. I felt myself struggling to pick up the pieces, trying to remember what caused the angry tempers.

Lastly, I liked how there are those “awkward” moments that seem to make the play feel more like everyday conversation. Some of the singing is exceptional, especially a lluluby that Heidi sang to her baby in one particular scene, but other singing was effective in the way it didn’t have to be set to a certain standard. The singing reflected the conventional, unrehearsed, spontaneous outbreaks that occur in everyday life.

Moving on to the technical aspects, I felt that the music spanning the decades during each set change was effective. It was different to see the lights shine just enough to reveal the stage crew changing the set around and adding props. While it could have been done a little quieter and less vigorously, I still liked the distinctive effect that it had.

There was also use of technology that I haven’t really seen in a play before. I’ve seen PowerPoint used for backdrops, but I’ve never seen it engage the audience. In a scene where Heidi gives a presentation adressing womens’ issues, she uses the slideshow to display pictures of the great women in art. We were the audience she was presenting to in the play. I didn’t know that being an audience was actually going to make us part of the performance.

Overall, MHCC’s performance of “The Heidi Chronicles” is probably one of the most engaging plays I’ve been to. Although I felt that some lines were tripped on, and some scenes were closed abruptly, I felt that the most important aspect delivered was the ability to interconnect the audience with the timely message. Of course, this was a Tuesday night rehearsal. I look forward to the improvements that will be made before the opening performance.

“The Heidi Chronicles” opens tonight and continues tomorrow night, both at 7:30 p.m. in the MHCC Studio Theater.

Tickets at the door cost $7, or can be purchased in advance for $5, at mhcc.edu/theatre.