Christie Charron, Kris Freeman, & Cameron Murphy in Defining Infinity. Photo by Holly Stone.
Defining Infinity
A Newly Devised Looking For Lilith Original
Review by Keith Waits
Entire contents copyright © 2017 Keith Waits. All rights reserved.
Aspects of the current repressive political climate are, arguably, a reaction to a crucial moment in American society’s struggle with gender identity. Defining Infinity, a new devised play from Looking for Lilith Theatre Company, captures the shifting sands of the subject in recent history.
Once again, the nature of the piece is to enlighten, and with good reason. Many are tolerant or even encouraging of what Production Director Shannon Woolley Allison’s program notes describe as “social constructs of gender and the binaries of sexual orientation and gender identity”, but how many truly understand any of these experiences? To so fundamentally question one’s identity at such a profound level can be an unsettling idea.
The material, following established LFL protocol, is derived from oral histories, and gives voice to both individuals coming to grips with their changing identity, and family members who range from hostile to hapless in how they cope. Even though it doesn’t follow a linear narrative, Defining Infinity has a sense of charting a journey: from ignorance to understanding, from confusion to clarity.
Yet the script is surprisingly funny, drawing laughs from character and situation without resorting to cheap jokes, and I think the humour helps it connect more easily with an audience that must contain individuals who have been or are now working through such issues in their own lives.
The five-person ensemble moves through a dizzying array of characters with facility and feeling, and, although I hate to single anyone out, Megan Adair continues to display fluid ingenuity in her every moment onstage. Everyone feels relaxed and at home within the skins of these characters, and I think the relative lack of angst expressed being gender and sexuality outside of the “normal” definitions is essential to what Wooley Allison and Devising Director Trina Fischer are up to here.
Gender and sexuality are now being approached in such open and nearly limitless terms, and that dramatic change in the culture fairly demands that art takes the lead in raising awareness. In celebrating their 15th Anniversary with this festival, we are reminded that Looking for Lilith can always be counted on to take on such a role, and with Defining Infinity they demonstrate how ready they are for the next 15 years.
Defining Infinity
Part of Unheard (outloud): Looking for Lilith’s 15th Anniversary Festival
Clifton Center
1124 Payne Street
Louisville, KY 40205
PRODUCTIONS:
DEFINING INFINITY
Exploring The Spectrums Of Gender And Sexual Orientation
Looking For Lilith Theatre Company
7/19 – 8:00pm | 7/21 – 8:30pm | 7/23 – 4:30pm
Reception Hall
STILL I RISE!
Celebrating Women Lyricists And Composers Of Broadway
Pandora Productions
7/14 – 10:00pm | 7/15 – 10:00pm | 7/17 – 9:30pm | 7/22 – 10:00pm
Reception Hall
LOOK ME IN THE EYE
A Satirical Exploration Of Issues Of Consent
Resonant Light Theatre Project
7/16 – 5:30pm | 7/17 – 7:00pm | 7/19 – 7:00pm | 7/21 – 9:30pm
Eifler Theatre
I’M WEARING MY OWN CLOTHES!
Civil War Dr. Mary Walker’s Inspiring Quest To Be True To Herself
By Nancy Gall-Clayton
Looking For Lilith Theatre Company
7/14 – 8:00pm | 7/16 – 3:00pm | 7/20 – 7:30pm | 7/23 – 3:00pm
Eifler Theatre
CROSSING MOUNTAINS
The Making Of Hindman Settlement School
Looking For Lilith Theatre Company
7/13 – 8:00pm | 7/15 – 3:00pm | 7/22 – 3:00pm | 7/23 – 6:00pm
Eifler Theatre
LOST & FOUND
Adanma Onyedike Burton
One Woman’s Experience Of Navigating The Social Taboo Of Miscarriages
7/17 – 8:30pm | 7/19 – 9:00pm | 7/21 – 7:30pm
Eifler Theatre
___________________________
STAGED READINGS
MOLLY DRIVEN
By Haydee Canovas
Lifting The Veil On The Cost Of Human Trafficking In Louisville
7/13 – 7:00pm
Adelberg Room
#Whathappenedtodavid
Julie Investigates The Death Of An African American Student
By Terkeisha Tyler
7/20 – 8:00pm
Adelberg Room
____________________________
WORKSHOPS
HISTORIAS DE INMIGRANTES LATINAS
(Latina Immigrants’ Stories)
Play Reading & Discussion By EACM Women’s Group And LFL
7/14 – 6:00pm
Reception Hall
KIDZPLAY
Participatory Drama Workshop By LFL For Children 4-8 & Their Parents
7/15 – 10:00am | 7/18 – 10:00am | 7/22 – 1:00pm
Adelberg Room
RACIAL JUSTICE
Led By Louisville Showing Up For Racial Justice And LFL
7/15 – 12:00pm
Adelberg Room
THEATRE OF THE OPPRESSED 101
Workshop For Both Beginners And Those With TOTO Techniques, LFL
7/16 – 2:00pm
Adelberg Room
GENDER & SEXUALITY DIVERSITY 101
Exploring Spectrums W/TSTAR (Trans & Sexuality Teaching, Advocacy And Research)
7/21 – 9:30pm
Reception Hall
INTRO TO DEVISING
Creating A Collaborative Response To The Current U.S. Climate, LFL
7/18 – 7:00pm
Eifler Theatre
GIRLSPEAK
Public Sharing Of LFL’s Summer Drama Camp
7/20 – 6:00pm
Reception Hall
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FESTIVAL PASSES
UNHEARD [Outloud] Festival Passes Include Admission To ALL Festival Events, July 13-23 (6 Productions, 2 Staged Readings, And A Variety Of Workshops). Lookingforlilith.Org/Unheardoutloud
SINGLE TICKETS
Tickets May Be Purchased Online (Lookingforlilith.Org/Unheardoutloud) Or At The Door. Please Call For Group Rates.
PRODUCTIONS: $20 | $15 – Students/Seniors
STAGED READINGS: $10
WORKSHOPS: PAY WHAT YOU CAN!
Keith Waits is a native of Louisville who works at Louisville Visual Art during the days, including being the host of PUBLIC on WXOX-FM 97.1/ ARTxFM.com, but spends most of his evenings indulging his taste for theatre, music and visual arts. His work has appeared in Pure Uncut Candy, TheatreLouisville, and Louisville Mojo. He is now Managing Editor for Arts-Louisville.com.