Strollers Theatre's "Hush the Waves" is a Story of Motherhood

Sam D. White’s new play, Hush the Waves, focuses on the plight of two unwed mothers who are weighing their choices – or despairing at their lack of choices – generations apart. The semi-autobiographical story, drawn from experiences in White’s own family, examines the pain, confusion, shame, and isolation that young women endured when bearing children out of wedlock in two distinct eras in the 20th century – 1948 and 1978.

Although Mary (Casey Elizabeth Gilbert), the young mother-to-be we meet in the ’40s has limited options legally and within her own family, the other expecting teen Elizabeth (Mak Strohmeyer) is pondering motherhood after the landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade made abortion legal and gave women more power to control their own bodies. As is revealed in conversations between the teen and her mother (Carrie Sweet), in the ’70s open adoptions were also an option and single motherhood did not carry the social stigma that it did previously. This gives Elizabeth more options, but they each come with an emotional cost.

In addition to the realistic scenes of family discord, the two young expectant mothers interact when they meet in their dreams, often accompanied by traditional Irish folk music, which Mary loves. For their parts, both actresses are convincing as girls caught in life-changing family dramas, somewhere between childhood and adulthood. Both still like to giggle, escape into fantasy worlds, and wish they could magically get out of the situation they are in. Reading Black Beauty or memorizing “Monty Python” sketches to pass the time until they are ready to deliver, neither seems ready to raise a child.

The rest of the characters in the play are either caregivers for the teens about to give birth or judgemental male relatives who try to exert their will on the young women. Gail Shearer plays a kind, elderly nurse who tries to assuage Mary’s fears in one time period, while Sean Langenecker is the hip-happening male nurse who tells Elizabeth how groovy it is to give birth. On the other end of the spectrum, Jon Klingenber is Elizabeth’s hot headed, Navy recruit brother Dan, who uses shore leave to come home and call his sister a slut. And Dave Pausch plays Mary’s straight-laced, cattle rancher father who hides her at maternity home for fallen women, then visits one day so he can knock her around a little. Oh, and Dad may or may not have killed Mary’s hired-hand lover.

At the center of this story is Mom, a true pillar of calm in the storm. Carrie Sweet is terrific as the understated, grown up Mary/mother of Elizabeth who – like a true ’70s women’s lib icon – adroitly balances a full-time job, regular calls from her disapproving father, and playing referee during fights between her two almost-grown children.

After she “circles the wagons” and lays down the rules of engagement for the family, she also insists on giving her daughter the autonomy that she longed for as a teen. Sweet brings a clear-eyed tolerance and patience to the role, but she is also resolute. The audience can almost see her counting to ten in her head before responding rashly to the chaos around her.

Costumes designed by Anna Jacob do more to place each family within their time period than the dialogue does. Elizabeth’s large pink poncho edged with crocheted granny squares fits right in with the set’s ’70s side, which features a Mondrian-esque hospital waiting room furnished with burnt orange vinyl chairs. On the other side of the stage, Mary’s ruffly white nightgown has a romantic, Victorian feel which fits nicely with the dark wood rocking chair and pale yellow painted walls. Set and lighting designer D. Corey Helser cleverly uses the open, slat wall in the center of the stage for crossover moments when character arcs intersect on another plane.

Director Simone LaPierre leans in to the melodrama of White’s script, which directly, plainly, and repeatedly articulates its themes. The Good characters and Bad characters are easy to spot, and there is absolutely no doubt who our heroines are. But there are also few surprises and little character development in the 2½ hour show, which seems longer due to the extended dream sequences interspersed with somewhat awkward Irish dancing. In spite of the wealth of complex issues embedded in the source material, Hush the Waves ultimately feels superficial and cliched.

Part of World Premiere Wisconsin, Strollers Theatre’s Hush the Waves continues through May 6 on the Drury Stage at the Bartell Theatre.

Post Script

Strollers Theatre's "Hush the Waves" is a Story of Motherhood