To Matteson

from Town Topics Newspaper, November 25, 2020

Public Meeting to Address Future of Quarry Site

THEATER COMMENTARY

Passage Theatre Presents an Online Reading of “Welcome to Matteson!”;

Tensions Erupt at a Dinner for New Neighbors in Inda Craig-Galván’s Comedy

Passage Theatre has presented a live it.” Patricia’s husband, Gerald (Jamil A.C. Noting that Patricia is the block presi- fers us a chance to “put the mirror up to online reading of Welcome to Mat- Mangan) “loves his single malts — and his dent, Mangan explains that Gerald and ourselves, and examine our own biases teson! Inda Craig-Galván’s poignant wife, despite...” Patricia “are part of the welcome commit- — and our own fears of ‘the others’ who comedy portrays “a suburban couple that Regina (Gha’il Rhodes Benjamin) is tee; we welcome new families. But … the are different.” hosts a welcome-to-the-neighborhood “newly relocated from the newly demol- problem is this fear of the other: ‘Oh my Craig-Galván remarks that the play “is dinner party for their new neighbors, a ished Cabrini-Green housing projects. All goodness, these people are going to break an exploration into how these characters couple recently (forcibly) relocated from street sense; more book sense than most down my property value. These people exist, what they believe, and how different Chicago’s roughest housing project,” notes give her credit.” Corey (Richard Bradford) are going to bring all of the things that they are from one another, and what their a press release, which adds that the dinner is “happily married to Regina, Cabrini- are happening in the city of Chicago to individual wants and needs are, outside of turns out to be “anything but welcoming.” born and raised. Wouldn’t change any of my neighborhood.’” a white gaze. It’s important that we tell our

“The play, at heart, is about how we re- it, but change is inevitable.” When Regina and Corey arrive, the eve- story without the lens of racism.” late to each other, how we value things over A prologue takes place “some time in ning begins cordially enough. However, She started writing Welcome to Mattepeople,” Craig-Galván says. “It’s taken on the past, just before [the characters’] world Patricia’s bias — paired with general ten- son! “a couple of years ago, when I was sort of a different feel, now that we are in changes.” It is Christmas, as is indicated sion — soon derails the evening, as subtle in grad school.” The idea came about beour own bubbles, and our own seclusion.” by a snowy screen. (Every actor is given barbs lead to outright confrontation. Mat- cause “I had lived in the south suburbs of

As with Passage’s presentation of the the same backgrounds, which serve as the ters are not helped when a psychology Chicago — right next door to Matteson, prerecorded Panther Hollow last month, play’s scenery.) Gerald has led Patricia game, led by Regina, exposes cracks in Illinois. So I was there at the time of the the reading was treated as a theatrical outside their elegant-looking home, where Gerald and Patricia’s relationship. We also relocation of former Cabrini residents. It event. The purchase of a ticket entitled he surprises her with a new Mercedes. discover that Patricia’s opposition to the was always on my mind that this was an audiences to watch the livestream via After they kiss, Gerald asks rhetorically, arrival of the new couple has gone beyond insular, strange occurrence that the rest Zoom on November 21, or the recording “You want to get out of here?” Mangan a hostile dinner conversation. of the world may not have known about.” on YouTube through November 25. remarks that the charming Gerald is “the Mangan notes that the play examines She adds, “I tend to write about Chicago,

Craig-Galván is developing new works quintessential mediator — and pleaser!“ “the divide — in terms of economic status, because that’s where I’m from.” with theater companies such as Primary The bulk of the play takes place in De- social status. So often we can equate that Discussing the play with Craig-Galván Stages and Company One. She has re- cember 2009. The first scene finds them with the racial divide. But here [is] an af- gave Binger some insight into “the mindceived awards such as the Jeffry Melnick inside their house, where the mood is con- fluent Black family who, because of their set that Inda was in as she crafted this New Playwright Award, Blue Ink Playwrit- siderably more tense, as they are preparing social status, and their need to climb up piece. There are aspects of her personal ing Prize, and Stage Raw Best Playwright to host a “welcoming” dinner for Regina the social ladder, have their biases, and life … represented in the words on the Award. She is a writer on the CBS All and Corey. The haughty Patricia scarcely look down on the lower socially classed page.” He adds, “I always feel like it’s imAccess series Happy Face, and previously could be a less enthusiastic hostess, as she Black family that comes to move into the portant to have a healthy dialogue with was a writer for How to Get Away with resents the fact of her new neighbors. neighborhood.” He adds that the play of- the playwright, because you want to do Murder and The Rookie, both for ABC. them the honor of bringing their work to The reading of Welcome to Matteson! is life — by honoring the words they put on her first collaboration with Passage. the page, and story that they’re working

Passage Theatre Artistic Director C. Ry- to tell.” anne Domingues discovered Welcome to Binger commends Passage for “always Matteson! via New Play Exchange, an on- doing work that is not necessarily easy line database where playwrights can post [or] tidy. The reason why I’ve been drawn their work. Craig-Galván appreciates the to the work that they’ve done is that they extent to which Passage has “been really [present] challenging works that ask imsupportive, and great about wanting to portant questions about our society, works present this piece as a virtual production.” by writers that are on the cusp of really

For director Andrew Binger, Welcome to important questions and conversations.” Matteson! reflects “how our society and Mangan agrees. He hopes that audicivilization creates barriers and divides us, ences come away from the reading with even when we have a lot of similarities. In an “appreciation that organizations like the play, an African American couple [has] Passage Theatre are still running to credinner with another African American ate art, by any means necessary. This is a couple. You would think that the identity wonderful time, in the mean time, to come would unite them, connect them in some together as patrons, [and] as artists, and capacity. But because one couple is from enjoy good storytelling.” the inner cities — a housing project — and lives in poverty; and the other couple is relatively wealthy, and lives in an affluent neighborhood, those things divide them.” “WELCOME TO MATTESON!”: Passage Theatre presented, to ticketed viewers, an online reading of “Welcome to Matteson!” Written by Inda Craig-Galván (above), and directed by Welcome to Matteson! “is a play about bigotry, presupposed prejudices, and how these characters are relating to each other,” Craig-Galván

The presentation opens with Binger Andrew Binger, the dark comedy depicts the class tensions that erupt when a couple is forc- concludes. “I love telling stories about reading a description of the characters. ibly relocated from a housing project to a more affluent suburb. (Photo by Julián Juaquín) people of color just existing in the world, Patricia (portrayed by Nicole Stacie) is “a and this is one of those stories.” longtime resident of Matteson, Illinois. Maybe she deserves everything she has, but don’t be the one to question her about For information about Passage Theatre’s upcoming events, visit passagetheatre.org. —Donald H. Sanborn III

A Clean and Happy House for the Holidays

Serving the Princeton area for over 25 years Residential Cleaning Fully Insured Renata Z. Yunque, owner/manager

Office: 609-683-5889 Cell: 609-203-0741 cleanhousehappyhouse@gmail.com For immediate attention, call the Princeton Renata for all your housecleaning needs.