A Wrinkle in Time

by Christine Sarkes

Photo by Tom Taintor

A Wrinkle in Time at Theatre in the Round is gorgeous, imaginative, and brilliantly conceived and directed with amazing young and older actors. Madeline L’Engle’s classic, beloved novel was adapted into a stage play by John Glore and under Penelope Parsons-Lord’s direction, the book comes vividly alive through the actors, lighting, props, costuming, set design and sound. This is a great family play—the children in the audience were mesmerized. “Tesser” yourself and your favorite young readers to behold this magical play experience.

The story focuses on the Murry children, Meg (Harriet Spencer) and Charles Wallace (Ryan Pierce) as they struggle with the disappearance of their scientist father (Kjer Whiting), who vanishes while on assignment with the government. The adventure begins when the Murry children, their mother Dr. Kate Murry (our own multi-talented Erika Sasseville) and new friend Calvin (Tic Treitler), are visited by three interdimensional beings. Mrs. Whatsit (Shelley Nelson), Mrs. Who (Robin Gilmer) and Mrs. Which/Ensemble (Ariel Pinkerton) have arrived to help the young people rescue their father—trapped on an evil, tyrannical planet called Camazotz—through a “tesseract,” or a wrinkle in time and space.

Meg, Charles Wallace and Calvin travel from planet to planet, encountering mysterious beings and facing challenges during their journey to rescue their father. Parsons-Lord stated in her director’s notes that she “set the goal of creating everything you see on stage live with no recordings or projections.” Instead, she and the artistic/production staff created imaginative and clever props and set designs that conveyed the exotic places and alien creatures conjured originally through our imaginations. The lighting effects were also cleverly designed to capture time travel and the dystopian feel of planet Camazotz. The ensemble cast members (Kate Bonnett, Lizzie Esposito, Natosha Guldan, Isabelle Hopewell, Ariel Pinkerton, Erika Sasseville, and Kjer Whiting), dressed in glittery, space-agey costumes, moved on and off the stage to create various places and creatures to the delight of the audience.

Spencer, Pierce and Treitler give stellar performances as the three heroes. Young Spencer, in particular, imbues her Meg with loads of heart, feisty determination and a fierce loyalty. The three Mrs. Ws were also excellent in their roles. Their journey isn’t simply a rescue mission; it is a battle between love and hate, hope and despair and family over isolation. The play’s totalitarian overtones also resonate in today’s fraught political atmosphere. In the end, Parsons-Lord has more than succeeded in bringing to life this superfan’s vision of a treasured childhood favorite.

A Wrinkle in Time, book by Madeline L’Engle, adapted by John Glore, directed by Penelope Parsons-Lord. Stage Manager Andrew Pritchard, Set Designer Keven Lock, Lighting Designer Mark Kieffer, Costume Designers Krista Weiss/Penelope Parsons-Lord, Prop Designer Vicky Erickson, Sound Designer/Composer Ryan Lee. Ensemble: Kate Bonnett, Lizzie Esposito, Natosha Guldan, Isabelle Hopewell. Now through July 14, July 1 at 7:30 pm is Pay What You Can, post-show audience discussion on June 30. Theatre in the Round Players, 245 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis. Tickets at theatreintheround.org