Constance Macy – Courtesy of Rob Slaven. Used with permission.
Throughout the course of theatre history, there have been some legendary one-woman shows, such as those starring Whoopi Goldberg, Lilly Tomlin, and Elaine Stritch. Upon seeing local actor Constance Macy in Allison Gregory’s “Wild Horses,” solidly directed by Lori Wolter Hudson, at Phoenix Theatre on Friday, I contend she deserves to be added to that illustrious list of actors who have ventured fearlessly into solo stage performance.
Constance Macy – Courtesy of Rob Slaven. Used with permission.
Over the past 30 years I have seen a large portion of Macy’s body of work at Indiana Repertory Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Shadow Ape Theatre Company, Indy Shakes and the former Cardinal Stage in Bloomington. I have always admired the versality and honesty of the Lunt-Fontaine Fellow’s performances. Her nearly flawless work in playwright Gregory’s deliciously funny comedy simply reinforced my respect for her disciplined artistry.
Not only does Macy have the chops to take on Gregory’s wildly hilarious coming-of-age story, she also has the comedic talent required for the role of a 13-year-old girl whose story is narrated by her wise adult self. For 80 minutes, Macy seamlessly shifts back and forth between multiple characters that included the girl’s best friends “Zabby” and “Skinny Lynie,” all three of whom live on the edge during a summer of adventure filled with recklessness and bad choices that ultimately changed them forever. Other characters Macy brought to life consisted of the girl’s parents, Zabby’s intimidating older brother Dean and younger brother, her crush, Donno, among others. The story included antics such as sneaking out of her family’s home by using a rope to climb out of her bedroom window, a joy ride in car, and stealing liquor from her parents. The tale isn’t just about her adolescent hijinks, however, because she also relates dark and harrowing accounts of family secrets, an averted sexual assault, and animal abuse related to the play’s title. Underscoring the action is a musical anthology of nostalgic 70s hits that included “Barracuda,” “Wildfire,” “Brand New Key,” “Dancing in the Moonlight,” “Magic Man,” and, of course, “Wild Horses” by the Rolling Stones.
Jen Johansen – Courtesy of Rob Slaven. Used with permission.
The sculpture-like set, designed by Zac Hunter, consisting of panels made up of wooden blocks of varying sizes, serves as the backdrop for Macy’s sensational performance. Other creatives who contributed to the show were costume designer Tonie Smith, lighting designer Laura Glover, Katie Phelan, who designed the whimsical projections that are superimposed on the set, and Jason Tuttle who was responsible for the production’s impeccable sound design.
As COVID still hovers as a health threat, Phoenix made the practical move of having an alternating schedule between two actors: Macy, who is also is the organization’s artistic director, and Jen Johansen, another nimble Indy character actor. She and colleague Macy will take turns playing the same role throughout the show’s run, which continues through March 5. For tickets and information go to phoenixtheatre.org.
