Review: For Annie (The Sound)

Smart and haunting world premiere. See it.

Review by Lauren Whalen

Female-driven work often isn't taken seriously (the "controversy" of a Ghostbusters movie starring women is a disheartening recent example). The Sound's For Annie is sure to be underappreciated and underrated. First, it's about a sorority. I have no doubt your mind was flooded with stereotypes the second you read the 'S' word. Second, it's about a girl who has problems with her boyfriend. The fact that said girl ends up dead because of said boyfriend might not make much of a difference to some. Hopefully, however, audiences can overcome patriarchal mores and see for what it really is: a cry for help and a meditation on the intricacies of grief. This cry and meditation just happens to involve glitter, choreography and matching T-shirts, and none of these make any less real, or any less heartbreaking.

The sisters of SUNY Onondaga's Beta Tau Alpha sorority are coming to the end of another year, but this year was different from others. The day before second semester, BTA's co-president and much-loved senior Annie Lambert was murdered by her ex-boyfriend. At loose ends, Annie's surviving sisters turn to a drama therapist and, on the last day of school, they are putting on a play to memorialize their lost friend. In the best way they know how, the BTA sisters show the audience Annie's transformation from confident young woman to cowed victim to strong survivor who ultimately paid with her life.

Intimate partner violence is a very real issue, particularly among young women who've been indoctrinated with the "happily ever after" myth and, consequently, are willing to look the other way when Prince Charming literally slaps them in the face. Sometimes, even the best of friends ignore the red flags or just plain don't listen. More often, the young woman in the abusive relationship blames herself. And statistically, women in abusive relationships are in the most danger not when they're in the relationship, but in the two years after they leave. For Annie touches on all of the above, and more. If this makes the show sound like a bit of a PSA, it's not an inaccurate description - but in a society where an African American movie star is the victim of racist hackers who take it upon themselves to post her personal information and private photographs on her own website, we can all use a good PSA now and then.

What playwright Beth Hyland does so well is present with an authentic lens. Anytime I wondered why there was a choreographed dance at a crucial moment or whether a sparkly sign was necessary, Hyland reminded me of the piece's protagonists: not Annie, but her sorority sisters who even in the context of their play aren't quite sure how to react. Some didn't know Annie at all, but her three closest friends and roommates portray themselves in such a way that their confusion and terror comes through at crucial moments. Even as they preach anti-violence and the importance of intervention - and as the theater major playing Annie's boyfriend gives an earnest disclaimer before fully committing to his character - the sorority sisters still feel guilty for surviving their friend. They don't fully know what went on in Annie's head, why she didn't leave or speak up even when the situation grew dire. They're equal parts confident that they can break the cycle for the next young woman, and naïve in their own sisterhood. Hyland's writing captures all of this and more, and director Rebecca Willinghamguides the talented ensemble with a strong, sure hand.

When I read the premise of , I thought "this can go one of two ways." Plays with a heavy premise, however well-intentioned, can get lost in their own message and come across clunky and preachy. Thanks to Hyland's genuine voice and a terrific cast, doesn't go there. Instead, it's as entertaining as a play about relationship abuse can possibly be, with an ending that's still haunting me a day later. See it.

continues through September 4th at The Edge Theatre, 5451 N. Broadway (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays 8pm, Sundays 2pm. Tickets are $10, and are available by phone (800-838-3006) or online through BrownPaperTickets.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com ). More information at TheSoundChicago.com. (Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission)

Nick Day (Max, Mitch), Georgi McCauley (Kaela), C. Jaye Miller (Emily, Conner), Claire Orzel (Rachel, Tammy), Erin O'Shea (A Spirit), Ella Pennington (Jessie), Kaye Winks (Nora), Hannah Sawicki (Leah, Annie), Daniel Shtivelberg (Raf, Nick), Natalie Joyce Smith (Lauren, Bruce), Charlotte Thomas (Chelsea, Casey)

behind the scenes

Rebecca Willingham (director), Kasey Trouba (production stage manager), Gregory Culley (scenic, graphic design), Jerica Hucke (costume design), Nathan Kubik (lighting design), Ben Zeman (sound design, projection design), Kim Green (choreography), Anna Joaquin (asst. stage manager), Alejandro Tey (fight choreography)

Tags: 16-0827, Alejandro Tey, Anna Joaquin, Ben Zeman, Beth Hyland, C. Jaye Miller, Charlotte Thomas, Chicago Theater, Claire Orzel, Daniel Shtivelberg, Edge Theatre, Ella Pennington, Erin O'Shea, Georgi McCauley, Gregory Culley, Hannah Sawicki, Jerica Hucke, Kasey Trouba, Kaye Winks, Kim Green, Lauren Whalen, Natalie Joyce Smith, Nathan Kubik, Nick Day, post, Rebecca Willingham