By Benedicte Dansie
Men On Boats presented by Westminster College is an artfully constructed argument against the historical biases of past events. The play contends the fact that only white, cisgender males were present for important historical events by having a strongly diverse female cast. Men On Boats also calls into question ideas of masculinity by challenging the day to day gender stereotypes that run rampant in our society.
The cast is comprised of ten female leads who fill the role of the ten original expedition members. Mina Sadoon plays John Wesley Powell, the leader of the 1869 expedition down the Colorado River. Sadoon plays the strong, optimistic, and at times reckless leader with an openness that allows the audience to note some of Powell’s deeper personality traits. Powell at times is insecure about his image as a leader due to the fact that he lost his arm during the American Civil War. Sadoon highlights the struggle that Powell feels over his displaced masculinity now that he no longer embodies the stereotypical expectation of a strong, whole, male body. The audience witnesses how Powell must at times work twice as hard to manage during the travails of the expedition and at times succumb to the need to ask others within his party for assistance. Sadoon also shows how Powell remains as the only biased voice of the expedition through his meticulous journal keeping, and how at times Powell does not give the true story.
Mauri Althea Hefley plays William Dunn,Powell’s self appointed second. Hefley’s character is the analytical and safety conscious, opposite to Sadoon’s overzealous Powell. She is the strong voice of reason throughout the play and often goes toe to toe with Sadoon when the two characters enter into various fights for dominance. Dunn is often overcome with the idea that he would be better suited to lead the expedition and often tries to sway others to his side. He eventually leaves the expedition due to his growing anger and fear over the dire situation that Powell has dragged them all into.
Taylor Wallace plays John Colton Sumner, the loyal and somewhat quieter third member of Powell’s Boat. Wallace shows the trust and resilience of her character even in the face of constant arguments between Powell and Dunn. Sumner does not fight for power but instead stays the course offering support to the rest of the party while still keeping things humorous. Sumner speaks constantly of his previous adventures in the wild and how he longs to disappear up into the Yukon once all of this is over.
Melissa Salguero plays Old Shady and uses her character to highlight the horrors and lingering marks left by the Civil War. Shady struggles throughout the play with episodes of Shell Shock. Shady follows the stereotypical male ideology that one should suffer silently and try to avoid speaking about the things that have hurt you at all costs. Salguero portrays this by making Shady a silent, withdrawn type prone to humming, and singing mildly violent ditties around the campfire.
Lavinia Adams plays Bradley. Bradley was only nineteen when the expedition was taking place. Adams portrays him as a sweet, sincere, and open person who wants to talk constantly about everything and challenges Shady and the others throughout the play to talk about the deep, dark, and dangerous things they have all faced in the past. Bradley aids the others in many instances throughout the play and works to keep everyone’s spirits up. Adams portrays Bradley beautifully as the innocence of those who are untouched by war and the ugliness of life, a direct contrast to the other men.
Sara Peel plays O.G Howland, who eventually breaks down and leaves the expedition due to the extreme duress. O.G causes several issues throughout the expedition by constantly taking extra rations and picking fights with Hawkins, the cook. O.G also has a strong connection with his brother Seneca and due to that remains somewhat isolated from the other members of the party. Peel does a great job of portraying the internal struggle and stamina one needs to try and survive difficult situations and the fact that sometimes there are limits we cannot push.
Emily Kitterer plays Seneca Howland, the younger, more emotional Howland brother. Seneca is fiercely loyal to his older brother and quick to initiate and throw himself into any fight for his brother’s honor. He portrays the male stereotype that men are hot tempered and think with their fists. Kitterer offers the dichotomy of a character who is constantly picking fights, but also somewhat fragile and reliant upon his brother. Seneca tells stories every night that narrate the twisted life events the two brothers often struggled through together.
Daisy Sherman plays Frank Goodman,the eccentric and laughable Brit. Goodman is the first to leave during the expedition after almost drowning twice. Unlike the other men, he is here just for the adventure of it. Goodman represents the old stereotype that showed the British as cultured, uptight eccentrics who were like the disapproving older relatives of the wild, untamed Americans. He calls into question the modern world versus the savage and where we all stand on that line. Sherman makes Goodman’s character light and laughable, giving him a goofy and lovable personality that engages and entertains the audience.
Kate Slick plays Hall, the surveyor and mapmaker of the expedition. Hall is a lively character that deals with his emotions through somewhat loud and inappropriate displays of affection such as noogies. Anytime a scenario becomes even remotely emotional, Hall dispels that with his brash and chaotic actions. Slick and Megan Sparrer, who plays Hawkins, showcase a stereotypical male bond. In the beginning of the play, their friendship involves intricate handshakes, yelling, and a lot of emotional ineptness. As the play continues, however, Slick and Sparrer show how the male bond changes as it is forged in tribulation and struggle and how that makes things somewhat quieter and more subtle. They challenge the idea that men can only create superficial friendships that resemble the stereotypical Frat Boy mentality.
The set design for the play, designed by Roya Hedlund, is minimalistic since the stage is quite small. Lighting Designer Spencer Brown uses warm, orange lighting to highlight the painted redrock walls that frame the stage. Blue lights are used along the center line to mimic the color and movement of the Colorado River. The play felt very intimate since the Dumke is a relatively small theater, which allowed the audience to feel as though they were trapped down in the canyon with the expedition members. The staging usually comprised of small cluster of actors tucked next to the redrock to show the different friendly relationships within camp. The Stage Manager Alexis Corpron and Props Master Samantha Miller assure that everything in the show runs seamlessly and effectively. Miller utilizes simple props such as burlap sacks, wooden food, and fabric boats to show the reduced living that the expedition faces. These light props also allow the actresses to move things about with ease. Costume Designers Spencer Potter and Victoria Bird created rugged, practical outfits that still showcase the individuality of each character. The main example of this is through Goodman and his slightly elevated style, which showcases his position as a well to do outsider from England. Sound Designer Sam Allan uses light acoustic music in the background of the play. The songs he chose blend seamlessly with the narrative and often felt as though they are simply extensions of the casts humming, singing, and playing. All of the music selected felt as though it could be something the crew is realistically singing during their travels and around the campfire.
Director Mark Fossen has created a scathing yet entertaining critique of toxic masculinity and white imperialist ideologies. The characters are entertaining and recognizable in our society today, highlighting the many things that we can work on. Men On Boats did have strong language and complicated themes, which definitely makes it a show for an older audience. I found Men On Boats an interesting watch and something I would recommend to others.
Westminster College Presents: Men On Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus
Dumke Black Box Theater, 1840 1300 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84105
October 4-6, 11-13 7:30 PM
Tickets: $12/Free for Westminster students, staff, and faculty
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