At the start of each indoor Northwestern University event, someone will read the land acknowledgement that declares for the audience, “We are on sacred ground.”
That acknowledgement is a jumping-off point for How to Know the Wild Flowers: A Map. It opened last weekend at the Ethel M. Barber Theater within NU’s Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts.
Julie Marie Myatt and Jessica Thebus are co-directors and co-creators along with members of the Northwestern community of the play, which immerses the audience in the outdoors of the late 19th century. Plants come to life and we are transported back in time.
As the audience enters the theater, each patron is given a handmade flower, a blue lupine, to participate in the show at some future time. The stage backdrop is set with three-dimensional puffy clouds and patches of artificial wild flowers and grasses. The flowers also line areas at the back of the theater, to amplify the feeling of being outdoors.
As the story unfolds, we come to understand more about the meaning of the land acknowledgement and what the land must have been like long ago. But the production is not a testament to woke politics, or any politics for that matter. This gentle play is an ode to loss, the beauty of nature and the resilience of the human spirit. It works with a spare cast, innovative sound (Stefanie Senior) and scenic designs (Wynn Lee) and energetic choreography (Jeff Hancock, Tor Campbell, Kristen Waagner). It culminates in a closing few minutes that will take your breath away.
The production was inspired by a field guide called How to Know the Wild Flowers written by Mrs. William Starr Dana (Frances Theodora Parsons) and published in 1893. Her first husband, William Starr Dana, died during the Russian flu pandemic in 1890. To help her deal with her grief, she began taking long walks in woods and fields around her home. Her book is based on her notes and descriptions of the wild flowers. In this performance, she is called Fanny and played by Faith Walh.
Wild Flowers has five named cast members and an ensemble with 18 members. The show opens with Beth (Anne-Sophie Lacombe Garcia), Michael (Esteban Ortiz- Villacorta) and Anna (Sierra Rosetta) on stage. It’s the present time, and they are friends from college. They are in a field looking for the perfect place for Michael to bury the ashes of his late grandfather, who died alone in a hospital during COVID.
Soon we meet and observe Fanny as she interacts with the wild flowers. The ensemble members are excellent in portraying the stems and stalks of wild flowers and grasses as they move and emote. Yes, these plants have active social lives and it’s great fun watching them interact with one another. Their costumes are similarly toned outfits that make the choreography seem natural and easy.
Loss and isolation brought on by pandemics is one link between past and present within this production. Fanny channeled her grief and loneliness into her book. Anna has Native American ancestry. She spent time learning more about her cultural heritage, learning new words to describe the outdoors. Beth tried to memorize the names of the Illinois wild flowers within How to Know the Wild Flowers. Michael is a musician who is always working on his music. The fifth character, sort of a comic foil, is a wandering birder who is socially awkward. The birder was played by Nathan Hiykel on Saturday evening.
The final 15 minutes of the play culminate in Beth, Anna and Michael finding the perfect final resting place for Michael’s grandfather. We see how Fanny is finally able to move forward with her life. Anna has learned how to describe the field using the words of her ancestors. Together with the wild flowers and some audience help, the field just ”is” and it’s stunning to experience. It’s a beautiful scene and one that left the biggest impression on this theatergoer.
How to Know the Wild Flowers: A Map runs for 90 minutes, without an intermission, from Thursday to Sunday. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday’s afternoon performance is at 2 p.m. Tickets are available online or at the box office.