After road tripping to the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell this past summer in preparation (both dramaturgically and directorially!) for Jacklyn Backhaus’ MEN ON BOATS at Merely Players, I fell more deeply in love with the story of the Powell Expedition of 1869. What a larger than life tale–it feels fictitious, even though we see the truth of their mission in landmarks and museums across the American West.
What the actors in our production have dealt with pertaining to the ever-changing nature of the pandemic astounds me. As Mona Wood-Patterson and I make Plan A, B, and C, to keep our cast, crew, and community safe, I can’t help but remind myself of the parallels between Major John Wesley Powell’s exploration and our production. The men, mostly battle-hardened Civil War soldiers, didn’t know what each turn of the river would bring; plans changed by the second while considering the dangers ahead; and, they adjusted to the immediacy of their situation. Maybe opening a new theatre (hooray for Merely Underground) and planning its inaugural show isn’t as tumultuous as running the mighty Colorado River in a 20 foot oak boat, but we channeled their vigor and the ability to roll with the punches.
