By Spencer Schneier, Staff Writer

Published in print Oct. 29, 2014

On Friday, October 24, Triad Stage in Greensboro held its opening showing of The Member of the Wedding.

The show consists of three acts, separated by two intermissions, and is a remake of the 1945 novel by Carson McCullers. The first act is entitled “A late afternoon in August,” the second “Afternoon of the next day,” and Act Three is broken up into three parts.

The star of the show is Erin Schmidt, who plays the main character Frankie Addams. Frankie is a 12-year old girl who struggles with fitting in, as she is a self-proclaimed tomboy.

Schmidt, a Syracuse graduate with a BFA, was incredible in the role, which her energetic stage manner is well suited to. She had a special connection with the audience, and it time it felt as though one was alone in the theatre with her character.

The play follows Frankie as she learns how desirable marriage can be and looks to carve out her identity. She decides to try and run away, but ultimately is thwarted in her attempt. A slow-moving affair, “The Member of the Wedding” is not a thriller by any means, but rather an intricate, detailed take on many social issues the United States faced in 1945, and continues to today.

The play explores gender and racial issues in post-war America, with Frankie providing the center of conflict. She learns throughout the play about the role that her gender identity will play in how she is perceived as a person. When dealing with the neighborhood “club girls,” the sharp contrast between her costume (boyish garments) and the girls’ dresses highlights the role that gender plays in identity.

Further, the “club girls” including Linda (played by Kalya Rafkin, a student at local Greensboro Day School) maintain canted posture throughout the scene, which is gender-coded behavior that objectifies and belittles them as women, while Frankie maintains normal dominant posture. This scene, with the combination of costume and acting is a brilliant commentary on gender roles in American culture.

Playing the straight man to the eccentric Frankie is her family’s African-American maid, Berenice. Played by Cassandra Lowe Williams, a graduate of UNC Greensboro, she is the calming voice in a room filled by Frankie and six-year old cousin John Henry (played by Aidan Armstrong).

Armstrong is a nine-year-old, but shows maturity and composure beyond his years. He skillfully captured the innocence of John Henry at Friday’s show, and gave important perspective on the issues the play explores from a childhood standpoint.

Triad Stage, located on Elm Street in the historic district of Greensboro, will be performing “The Member of the Wedding” until November 9.

Opened in 2002, Triad Stage is run by two Yale-graduates named Preston Lane (director) and Richard Whittington who purchased the space in 1999. It has been renowned nationally by the Wall Street Journal.

The play, while not riveting in an action sense, is a tremendous take on American society in a highly romanticized, yet imperfect time. It is fantastic entertainment and comes highly recommended, as some of the best Greensboro has to offer.