Con-Con’s “Stonewallin’” has a lot of brass
The course of true love seldom runs...true. Tommy Jackson (Joshua Michael Tarr) is non-binary and a direct descendant of General Stonewall Jackson. Marsha Lyons (Chelsea Anderson) is a female bi-sexual who leans more towards the femme relationships then male. She has moved back to Lexington, Virginia from California because it costs too much to live out there. Tommy has lived in Lexington all of his life and is a barista at a local coffee shop.
He currently lives with his Grandmother, Mamaw Jackson (Anne McEvoy) who is heavily involved in local politics. She is part of a huge network of reenactments participants and Southern traditionalists who can be called to protesting action with a single phone call. Marsha is living with her brother Elijah Lyons (Perry Reed) who is a local mover and shaker set on improving life for the city’s inhabitants. His current project is a multi dwelling housing that will be open to all races, creeds and orientations.
Tommy and Marsha meet at the Stonewall Jackson statue late one night. Their intent is to vandalize the bronze in order to make a political statement and to call upon their ancestors to banish all statues and naming of various buildings, roads and parks that reflect on their darker Southern more prejudicial past.
At their first meeting they scare each other into doing nothing and retreat back to their respective homes. Marsha does some research trough her brother and finds out where Tommy works. She shows up and there they hatch a plan to return to the scene of their previous un-crime. That night they spray paint, lay candles and chant while unbeknownst to them has the statue coming to life with all of his original prejudices and peculiarities. General Stonewall Jackson (Logan Andrews) hops off the pedestal and begins roaming the town. He runs into Mamaw who takes the rather tattered man under her wing back to her home to clean up and get outfitted in an all races united T-shirt and jeans. She is unaware whom she is dealing with.
Elijah is in desperate need of Mamaw’s help in getting his housing project pushed through. With the statue of Stonewall “missing” Mamaw gives him an ultimatum of “find the statue or no housing project”.
“Stonewallin’” is a very cleverly penned two hour play by local Cleveland writer, director and researcher Kari Barclay. The current play was the inaugural winner at the Richmond Triangle Players’ So.Queer Playwriting Festival in Richmond, Virginia in 2021 and was premiered at Richmond Triangle Players in 2022.
As for the actors, they are a tight knit group that perform very well together. Joshua Michael Tarr as Tommy Jackson is comfortable in his role as the non-binary looking for some kind of love. Chelsea Anderson as Marsha Lyons is his equal in spirit. Logan Andrews as Stonewall Jackson does an excellent job as a statue and upon coming to life does a reasonable Southern accent and drew Oohs and Ahhs from most of the audience when he removed his shirt and along with his rugged good looks does a fine turn as an actor as well. Speaking of accents, all of the actors adopted well without going overboard on the vernaculars. Perry Reed as Elijah Lyons is well cast as well as he tries to do what is best for the community. Lastly, Anne McEvoy as Mamaw Jackson steals the show with her presence. She is simply that good. The show is spritely directed by Jeannine Gaskin making the two hours fly by. Mia Jones handles the costuming with aplomb. The lighting and sound by Robert Wachala and Cory Molner respectfully is superb for such a small theater space. Lastly, Scott Zolkowski’s scenic design with the twin revolving sets on both ends is quite ingenious.
Con-Con really enjoys putting itself out there with works that champion the LGBTQ community in America yet are extremely entertaining to straight audiences as well. You will find yourself totally engaged in this “romantic tale” with a twist. Fill the theater for this one.
The Convergence-Continuum production of “Stonewallin’” will be on stage at 2438 Scranton Road in historic Tremont, Ohio. For more information and to purchase tickets go to www.convergence-continuum.org or call (216) 687-0074.