Roy and Irma have been married 25 years with two children, spunky Patty Anne, 13, and rebellious Wayne, 22. During a marriage counseling session with their minister, Roy admits to feeling that he is a woman trapped in a man's body. Jane Anderson's masterful play, Looking for Normal, explores the true reality of the dilemma with both humor and the intrinsic drama it causes.
(I met this reality directly last year having lunch with Jill, who had previously been my coworker, Kev. Norma was also in our theater party. Previously Norman, she is just beginning the long process leading to the transgender operation and a new life.)
Looking for Normal forces a man, a family, their church, his employer, his parents, his grandmother, and others to examine their own feelings about Roy's decision. Emotions are raw as each person faces the Kubler-Ross six stages of grief. Anderson deftly weaves hilarity into this drama. John Rosen (Roy) is convincing as a conflicted man finally facing his destiny. Terri Park (Irma) seems to be living her role of a wife presented with ultimate choices. One cannot help but have compassion for what each character is going through. Natasha Feldman (Patty Anne) portrays her character's beginnings as a woman with fear and disgust -- the breasts are too big and the whole menstrual thing is just disgusting. However, her curiosity about her father is charming, and her lesson on the female organs is a hoot. Lance Rogers (Wayne) plays a son unwilling to accept this change. His graphic explanation of the male organ is quite humorous.
William Tanner portrays Reverend Muncie as a caring, loving minister who tries in vain to find a biblical solution to Roy's "problem." Tanner balances Muncie's piety with the minister's practical side of maintaining a congregation unaccepting of Roy. Gerard Maxwell as Roy's boss, Frank, handles a boss' problems with a macho crew that could be hurtful to Roy and his own problems and feelings for Irma. Jeanne Horn is long-dead Grandma Ruth. She fills in the blanks of Roy and Roy Senior's background on the farm. Horn is always charming.
Roy's parents are played by Kate Hewitt and Duane Leake (Em and Roy Senior). Hewitt is just plain funny as the wife of an ornery father. Her reaction, upon Em's learning by letter of Roy's decision, is a study in nonverbal communication. We know every thought going through Em's mind. Leake plays a cantankerous, crusty farmer -- the product of a dictatorial father. He is no -- nonsense all the way. Roy Senior is also speeding into senility. Leake's performance smoothly moves from edgy to passive plausibly. It is hard to watch this once feisty farmer become a man who has lost touch with reality.
David Weiner's set is simple, working well for the locations needed. The set is complimented by the mood-setting lighting of Sarah Maines and Robbie Henry's sound design. Costumer Shulamit Nelson provides just the right touches for each of the players.
Looking for Normal is excellent throughout. Jane Anderson's play is incisive, exploring the emotions in depth, while balancing drama with humor.
