Moonlight Theatre Productions Presents CROSSROADS Review – Love in a Pandemic

Posted on by Annabelle Harsch

Crossroads narrows to a close and a woman, with forceful emotion and a strained voice, falls deep into harsh memory. Her husband had recently passed and with a heavy heart she realizes she wouldn’t have wanted to die with her husband. In her heartbreaking monologue, she bursts into laughter with the wish that she could speak with her husband once again. As quickly as her laughter began, she realizes this is not possible and her face crumples and she falls into a deep, painfilled silence.

Moonlight Theatre Productions CROSSROADS
PJ Johnnie and Keona Welch Courtesy of Moonlight Theatre Productions

It is with this level of high, quick emotion that threads this collection of six short plays together. Each line of Israela Margalit’s gorgeous dialogue carries multiple emotions with it as actors perform stories about love, heartache, and joy. Regardless of our past romantic experiences, whether they be real or imagined, we are witness to the deep but light-filled emotion each actor possesses as they tell stories about love and pain. Whether the short play is 15 minutes or 50 seconds, each story moves into these characters’ love lives, leaving us burning for more.

Virtual Platforms Won’t Halt Moonlight Theatre Productions

Throughout the performance, the actors had changed their backgrounds to more closely resemble a traditional set on stage. Before meeting a past lover on the street, one character considers which umbrella would make her the most attractive. As she makes her decision, we realize the actor’s Zoom background had been changed to resemble rain drifting down a window. Instead of a blank background, this simple change brings us further in the story about these past lovers. Virtual performances via Zoom might have some misconceptions, but, in this writer’s opinion, Crossroads uses this virtual platform to its advantage.

Moonlight Theatre Productions CROSSROADS
Jennifer Dorr White Courtesy of Moonlight Theatre Productions
Moonlight Theatre Productions CROSSROADS
Jennifer Dorr White and Christian Conn Courtesy of Moonlight Theatre Productions

Although performing through a virtual platform doesn’t allow actors to speak face-to-face, the direction threw a façade over our eyes. When two characters speak to each other, the actors turn their bodies to the side, as if they are, indeed, speaking to each other. Even their backgrounds flow seamlessly together. With this careful consideration of actors’ movements through a virtual platform, we experience real conversations about love and loss as if they had been happening in person.

Even through a virtual platform, this collection of plays tugs on our heartstrings and offers warmth for each of us. Crossroads is suitable for anyone in need of love and connection in these stressful times.

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Cast:

Matthew Boston, Christian Conn, Tracey Conyer Lee, Lynda Gravatt, Renata Hinrichs, PJ Johnnie, Rita Rehn, Sturgis Warner, Keona Welch, Jennifer Dorr White

Directors:

John-Martin Green and Israela Margalit

When:

December 3, 6, 24-31, 2020

Where:

Streaming online

Tickets:

Free

Visit the Crossroads website for more information.

Images courtesy of Moonlight Theatre Productions

Annabelle Harsch
Annabelle Harsch

About the Author: Annabelle Harsch

Annabelle has perpetual graphite smears on her hands from stories she wrote. She’s written about secrets and regret, but her favorite things to write about are love and dragons, good or bad. When Annabelle isn’t reading and writing, she’s usually hiking or buying plants and books.

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