Being a parent often means getting to know people whom you may never have crossed paths with through work or your pre-child social life. Janece Shaffer's Brownie Points explores the dynamics of a group of mothers taking their daughters on an overnight Brownie Scout camping trip.
Seeing as I'm about to take a group of Brownies (and some moms) on an overnight camping adventure, I expected to get a giggle out of the play, and I did. However, this play goes beyond joking about neckerchiefs and square knots and delves into issues that most of us shy away from.
Be sure to read Sonja Lowe's article, "Spending the Night in Forsyth County," in the play book before the play. It will give you important background about the racially charged setting of the play.
When these five mothers are thrown together into a wilderness with a dark history, sparks fly, and not just around the campfire. They clash (and bond) over differences in race, religion, personality types, divorce, working outside versus inside the home, even the nutritional value of snack foods. The 90-minute play is infused with so much humor that the audience is willing to stay with the discussions that strike at your emotional core.
I laughed and cried along with these women. You will almost certainly see yourself and other moms you know reflected in the characters on stage. I chuckled when I recognized my own Type A personality in Allison, the troop's leader, as she struggles with the unraveling of her tightly planned agenda. The next moment I fought back tears as she broke down over the difficulty of raising a severely disabled child, just as my own mother had.
As I watched, my favorite line from To Kill a Mockingbird kept coming to mind. Atticus Finch tells his daughter, Scout, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."
Ultimately, the joys and worries of motherhood (with the help of a thunderstorm that keeps them all in place to keep the discussion going) unify these women.
Mothers deserve a night out. Leave the kids at home, grab a girlfriend or three and earn some Brownie Points. Make sure to give yourself enough time for a post-play rap session over a glass of wine or a latte.
If You Go
Where: Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St. in the heart of Greenwood in Seattle.
When: Through June 18. Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. Running time is 90 minutes with no intermission. Brownie Points is recommended for children ages 14 and above. After the show on Thursday, May 26, and on June 2, 9, and 16, stay for collaborative discussions exploring the themes of race, identity, and motherhood in the play (in partnership with John Perkins Center at Seattle Pacific University).
Cost: $20 to $35 depending on the performance. Pay What You Can: Wednesday, May 25. See website for details.
Contact: 206-781-9707; http://taproottheatre.org.
Laura Spruce Wight is a Seattle-area freelance writer, a Brownie troop leader and mother of two.