Hinson's Justin warns of the temptations of urban cities and points out they're hubs of LGBTQ+ activity and that Kevin should stay away. Jesse Hinson and Nathan Malin in SpeakEasy Stage's "Heroes of the Fourth Turning." (Courtesy Nile Scott Studios)Īfter tossing around the " Benedict Option" and sharing how he's not ready for the world, Kevin exclaims that he should move to New York like Teresa. Even though these friends' opinions are on the far right, fault lines still exist between them. Many audience members sighed, groaned and chuckled as the friends, sitting on benches or orange and green folding chairs, outline their arguments about a pending culture war that would destroy Western civilization while others talked of their willingness to engage others who held different views. Gina shows up, the fight between her old right views and Teresa's new conservative ideas turns startlingly acerbic. I always needed a Connecticut."īut theatergoers learn that despite her staunch advocacy of Christian values, her reputation is less than lily-white. When talking about her fiancé, she says, "He's Connecticut like me. Teresa's edgier than the rest and boldly shares her thoughts. She feels her views are to be fiercely protected and to do anything less is weak. Teresa lives in Brooklyn in a neighborhood that smells of freshly baked bread and houses a historic cemetery. Kevin's approach is far different from Cousins' Teresa. But, he's happy to try to learn more about those who aren’t like him. Despite not feeling much about it, he believes in Catholicism and is still a conservative. The talented actor who appeared in SpeakEasy's production of " The Sound Inside" last year tries to appeal to the hearts of his former classmates regarding societal issues. Nathan Malin serves up a believable and well-acted Kevin. Jesse Hinson, Elise Piliponis, and Dayna Cousins in SpeakEasy Stage's "Heroes of the Fourth Turning." (Courtesy Nile Scott Studios) The group - three of whom attended Transfiguration - were present at Gina's ceremony, and that's what brings them to the backyard reunion. Gina - the newly named president of Transfiguration College, is conservative but less rigid in some ways than her friends. Teresa (Dayna Cousins), intelligent but cold, believes in Steve Bannon’s political ideas, and Emily, the mysteriously ill and in-pain daughter of Dr. Kevin, a tortured alcoholic (who has consumed lots of secret whiskeys), seems genuinely curious about the world and eager to engage in all facets of it. There's Justin (Jesse Hinson), who is former military and older than the other members of the group and has deeply held conservative views. The characters in "Heroes of the Fourth Turning" get more than a brief profile and picture offering their stances on a couple of critical issues. Audiences learn about their upbringing, how their religious views aren't separate from their politics and how these experiences shape and inform their lives. Division felt even more palpable, and the media put out story after story to explain why some Americans voted for Trump. Donald Trump, the then president, was consistently accused of stoking racial discord and hate crimes were ratcheting up. While the group doesn't spend much time discussing the incident, it's clear that the passion they all speak with is in response to the cultural climate of the moment. Dozens of people were injured and one woman, Heather Heyer, was struck and killed by a car driven by white supremacist James Alex Fields Jr. However, counter-protestors showed up and the event turned violent. 19, 2017, in Lander, Wyoming, a week after white supremacist groups gathered to Unite the Right and rally in protest of the removal of the statue of Confederate Gen. The action takes place in a backyard on Aug. The play at SpeakEasy Stage shows now through Oct. Playwright Will Arbery achieves this in " Heroes of the Fourth Turning," which uses a conversation among four friends as a lens to view conservative Catholicism and whiteness. Sometimes, it can do all these things, and more, all at once. Elise Piliponis, Karen MacDonald, Jesse Hinson, Dayna Cousins, and Nathan Malin in SpeakEasy Stage Company's "Heroes of the Fourth Turning." (Courtesy Nile Scott Studios)Īrt-visual, performance or otherwise-can engage or repel, excite or anger, inspire or extinguish.
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