Stage Review - As It is in Heaven (Taproot Theatre)

Stage Review - As It is in Heaven
Presented By: Taproot Theatre, Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: Saturday, April 15, 2023
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman

There’s a line in the 1999 Kevin Smith film “Dogma” that has always stuck with me from the first time I heard it, spoken by Chris Rock’s character Rufus and concerning the difference between ideas and beliefs. When asked about whether or not having a belief is a good thing, Rufus responds “I just think it’s better to have ideas. I mean, you can change an idea but changing a belief is trickier. People die for it, people kill for it.” And while Arlene' Hutton’s play As It is in Heaven doesn’t directly deal with how holding a belief becomes a literal matter of life and death, it does speak to the impact a belief structure can have on a society and its individuals. It’s a play that considers belief, religion, humanity and our ability to change in the context of all of those things. The regional premiere of As It is in Heaven is on stage now at Taproot Theatre’s Jewell Mainstage in Seattle, directed by Marianne Savell and featuring an ensemble of wonderfully talented performers, tasked with telling the story of a group of Shakers in Pleasant Hill, Kentucky who are grappling with their faith in the wake of impending change within their society.

Shakers, or Shaking Quakers as they were originally known, are part of a Christian sect that organized in England in the 1700s and found its way to America during colonization. They were called this because, unlike the more subdued Quakers that they broke from, Shakers believed in a more energetic form of worship. They were known for many things, their documented equality along gender and racial lines, the music and dance that categorized their worship, and a progressive view toward technology. They were also celibate, believing that sex, the original sin, was an act of impurity, leading to a doctrine that forbade marriage of any kind. In fact, if a married couple joined the Shakers their union was immediately dissolved. Other than the odd occurrence of a women joining the church pregnant, the only way Shakers could grow their ranks was through indenture, adoption, or conversion. While they’ve been described as progressive, especially for their time, there is indeed a cult like quality to the religion, at the least a communistic tendency. Though there is an option to leave, at least until a formal commitment is made at the age of 21, once someone becomes a member of the Shakers, it’s upon joining this sect that they’re asked to leave much of what they had and knew in their previous lives behind.

It is in this context that As It is in Heaven begins, with a group of women Shakers in Pleasant Hill. As with any religion, when a belief system is so strong, any challenge to that system, or any fresh ideas and perspectives are largely not welcomed. And this group of Shakers is dealing with just that. Made up of a combination of elders and new members, As It is in Heaven deals first and foremost with this conflict. New members join and bring perspectives that don’t match up with how they are “supposed to behave”. Then, when these newcomers experience things so out of the ordinary as to be considered heavenly, the elders decide that these sisters are either unwell or inhabited by the devil. Beyond just this conflict around new ideas permeating a structured belief system, it’s the idea of belief as a whole that As It is in Heaven challenges, how our unfettered belief in something affects us as individuals or as a society. And while Act 1 spends a good deal of time acclimating the audience to the world of the Shakers, it’s Act 2 that flips it on its head. It’s an introspective and, at times, emotional look at religion as a whole, the pros and cons of a particular lifestyle, and the conflict that new ideas brings to a well structured and indoctrinated society.

To tell the story, playwright Arlene Hutton provides a group encompassing the full spectrum of Shaker believers. It starts with Sister Hannah, the elder who is the de facto leader of the group. Played by Stevie Kallos, Hannah makes sure that all of the sisters stay in line, providing the guidance needed to keep the girls from straying too far from “the path”. Hannah, in her mind, is a true believer, and Stevie is quite convincing in this role, especially when the influence of the younger sisters begins to shake her own faith. The Shakers, as I mentioned, were largely communistic, meaning that in each village or settlement, each person had a specific role. In this case Sister Peggy, played by Pam Nolte, is responsible for the cooking and kitchen work. She’s also looked upon with great adoration and respect by all of the members of the village. Shakers are known for their music and dance as part of their worship, and as such there are a lot of Shaker songs and hymns scattered throughout the play. Pam handles much of the work here, especially when it comes to solo singing. The entire group contributes as an ensemble, but Pam’s Peggy typically begins each of the songs before the others jump in, and her voice really is heavenly in this role. Pam’s Lord’s Prayer (O Father Who Art in Heaven) is alone worth the price of admission. The rest of the cast is comprised of a few other more established sisters, Sister Phebe (Ashleigh Coe), Sister Betsy (Jenny Cross), and Sister Rachel (Kristen Natalia). These three provide stability in the village, each coming in with a different set of experiences and each having been in the group for some time.

It’s the younger set, though, that are the true disrupters. Sister Izzy (Chloe Michele) is young and excitable. Chloe plays her very well, with a joy and wonder, but also with an underlying sadness. Sister Jane (played on Saturday by understudy Jesica Avellone) is the saddest of the group, coming in on the heels of the deaths of all of her children. Jesica is wonderful throughout, but her emotional portrayal of Jane is especially excellent in Act 2. While Chloe’s Izzy seemed happy, but with an underlying sadness, Jesica’s Jane was just the opposite, with an underlying positivity that may be all that keeps her going. Both are nuanced in the way they balance the extremes of their characters, but they do it in a way that feels natural, and in a way relatable. Marianna De Fazio plays Sister Polly, perhaps the most challenging of the newcomers to the group. Marianna’s turn as Polly captures all of the rebelliousness that the role calls for, challenging what seems like every aspect of the Shakers’ belief system. FInally, there is Sister Fanny. Played here by Justine Davis, Fanny is the scene stealer, if there is one in this show full of wonderful actors. Fanny experiences something early on that turns the entire village on its head, something extraordinary that carries the story, around which all of the issues that Arlene Hutton puts out for consideration are tied. There are a number of aspects to this complex performance that Justine just handles expertly.

At the end of the day, though, As It is in Heaven is a true ensemble piece. When a group of nine actors comes together like this cast has, in a way which makes them better together, it’s a true gem, and that’s what this production is. Music is the tie that binds, so to speak, as it is with the Shaker religion, it is with this show. Songs are performed excellently, and consistently, under the direction of Claire Marx. There’s enough music in As It is in Heaven to make me wonder whether this could be considered a musical. I have my opinion on that, but it's’ definitely a consideration for sure. Songs are also used as a vehicle to accompany set changes. Katy Tabb’s choreography seems to take this all into consideration, as the girls break into song, pick up benches and other set pieces to move somewhere else on stage, all intricately designed and wonderfully executed. And speaking of consistency, perhaps the standout for me is the use of accents. Credit to this cast and dialect coach Leah Fishbaugh, accents are both consistent from actor to actor, as well as from the beginning of Act 1 through the close of Act 2. All and all, the show is exquisitely designed, including Janelle Kimbrough’s perfectly crafted period costumes, Jordan Gerow’s simple but agile set, all supported by excellent light (Chih-Hung Shao) and sound (Mark Lund) design. Between the superb design and wonderful individual and group performances, As It is in Heaven is a show definitely worth taking in.

As It is in Heaven is one of those shows that doesn’t end when the curtain drops. It requires something of its audience, part introspection and part reconsideration of our ideas and beliefs, and how they impact both our lives as individuals and the society in which we live. It does this by holding a magnifying glass up to one sect of Christianity, the Shakers, and begs us all to ask what we are prepared to do when something comes along that disrupts the very core of our beliefs. It recognizes that nothing in humanity is crystal clear and that in order to move forward we need to be open minded and flexible. As It is in Heaven is well designed and beautifully performed, it’s a well written play that you’ll be talking about well after the drive home, and that’s a good thing.

As It is in Heaven runs through April 22 on the Jewell Mainstage at Taproot Theatre in Seattle. For more information and tickets, visit https://taproottheatre.org/.

Photo credit: Robert Wade