The Seacoast of Chile and Birds in the Meadow Bow at the ATA

A Double-Header of new intriguing plays always makes for a great experience at the American Theatre of Actors. And when one is both written and directed by Founder, Artistic Director and President James Jennings, it’s an extra-special experience.

Birds In the Meadow presents a unique situation relevant to our times. Cross-country adventurers Joan (Julie Zimmermann) and her husband Jack (Phil Oetiker) have parked their camper in a trailer park, where Joan rages against the injustices she is seeing in the world, chiefly the widespread physical and emotional abuse of women, such as in Latin America, where “men believe they have control over women’s bodies” to the point of femicide. The camper floor is strewn with crumpled newspapers (Joan is a relative luddite with no computer and only a flip phone, complicating her crusade). Joan has a habit of throwing those crumpled newspapers at Jack, who seems unimpressed with her “hackles up” crusading and dismissive of the notion that she, or anyone, can make a difference.

“Our whole society is breaking down, but I’m not a lawyer,” she says. “Maybe some of the damn lawyers should step up and do their damn jobs.” Joan devises a plan to go from city to city in their camper to talk to the respective governors about replacing all the legal do-nothings. “Whistling in the wind,” dismisses Jack, but Joan refuses to back down. “We’re independents,” she reminds him. “They can’t win without us!”

The situation is complicated by an ominous red note on the camper door which appears to threaten their ability to remain in the park. Wanda (Jiening Zhu), a park representative, arrives at the camper to clear up the situation, but not before getting a humorous earful from Jack and another from Joan. “Is she like that all the time?” Wanda asks Jack after Joan has stormed off. But Wanda notes that the dire state of the world is something worth “getting worked up” about, and soon the passionate Joan sees an opportunity to recruit another person to her cause. Will Joan, Jack, Wanda and their dog Thunder—unseen on the porch but very much a character—join forces and save the world? Expertly written and directed, with a cast that makes their characters come alive with realness and wit, Birds in the Meadow is a gem that, while it entertains, provides a glimmer of hope for troubled times in reminding us of the good that a single person can accomplish.

The opener, Meny Beriro’s Sea Coast of Chile, presents another woman taking action—but this time to rescue her own life. Bella (Leslie Fleming-Mitchell) is a widow who lost her husband in a tragic accident and was driven to attempt suicide a year before the events of the play. She is now gathering with lifelong friends Catherine (Laura Tewksbury), Ed (Michael Donaldson), and Adam (Ken Coughlin), all in their 60s. The other three continue to be worried about Bella, who arrives at their get-together to announce she’s “dying” —not physically, but emotionally. With her suitcase in tow, she reveals that she plans to fly to Chile that very day to start a new life. Catherine and Ed are supportive, but Adam is against it to the point of exploding into emotional outbursts. He practically demands that Bella stay put, chiefly for the sake of her children, who he threatens to contact. “Her kids deserve to know, not read about it in a letter after she disappears!” he argues. But his words and body language betray that there are feelings that the closed-off Adam has been suppressing for decades, and it’s time for the truth to be revealed.

Directed by Ginger Kipps, The Seacoast of Chile is poignant, funny and relatable; the actors truly feel like life-long friends who have experienced both joy and heartbreak together. Bella’s desire to run away and start a new life resonates for anyone who feels trapped and lonely, as does Adam’s unrequited (or is it?) love for his childhood pal. Experienced together, the two plays are a rousing, optimistic look at people kickstarting their lives post-middle age, and finding love, adventure, and an opportunity to make a difference.