“What does it mean to be a girl, Dominic Republican, a Beastgirl?”
Don’t be fooled. You may think you are entering Studio K at the Kennedy Center, but you are actually on the rooftop of the Amsterdam Ave. Apartments in New York City. From the moment you scan your ticket, you are transported to the rooftop of this humble apartment building in NYC; though you may not be sure at first why you are there. Strewn across the seats are the flyers reminding you to meet here at the rooftop, at midnight, while the music of artists like Becky G + El Alfa and DJ Snake help pass the time before the real event begins.
A table sits in the far-off corner, covered festively in a rich blue tablecloth and a stream-banner with the Dominican Republic flag. A buffet tray of black beans and white rice is set next to stacks of solo cups and plates while a collection of festive foil balloons is tied to the table corner. And before you have a chance to register what to expect, the event begins!
The nature of Beastgirl is one of organic inclusion. The performance itself begins before you even have the chance to make the mental transition from audience member to observer of the events that unfold in front of you. But it never feels jarring; it just is.
It turns out, the event of the evening is one where three young sisters attempt to summon the Egun; the spirits of departed ancestors through blood or lineage. Or more specifically: the Beastgirl. Armed with a journal detailing how to conduct the summoning ritual, the oldest sister, Cami (played by Jenni Gil), leads the summoning event with mixed success. And that’s where you come in. While the three sisters will lead the event, the success of the summoning will be influenced by the energy exuded in the group clapping, chanting, and ululating.
Based on the collection of folkloric poems Beatsgirl & Other Origin Myths, by New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo, Beastgirl brings these poems together as a narrative that seeks to examine the mythological and geographic identities of the three sisters as first-generation Americans and as those of Dominican descent. While the age range of the sisters is never explicitly defined, the three are played to be young enough to not yet fully understand their place in the world as adults, but old enough to have a sense of the trauma carried by what it can mean to be a girl, an Afro-Latina, one of mixed descent, and someone with their foot in the water of two cultures.
The book by C. Quintana, does a very lovely job of transitioning the execution of the narrative from vernacular dialogue to prose, to song, and back seamlessly. The pacing of the action flows so naturally from one to the other that at first it does not always register that the actor is reciting a poem instead of speaking from their heart. Similarly, music by Janell Lawrence, slides so naturally into the events that unfold, that it is hard to identify the songs as those of a musical instead of as a joyful celebration of the sisters’ exploration of their past memories, connection with their cultural past, and furthering the summoning ritual along. Choreography by Tiffany Quinn further celebrates Afro-Latino roots in the movements the three sisters demonstrate with their songs. Director Rebecca Aparicio skillfully brings all these talents together to allow each to shine and flow into the artful experience of the performance.
I would be remiss without addressing the absolutely amazing work of Scenic Designer, Misha Kachman, Lighting Designer, Alberto Segarra, and Sound Designer, Delaney Bray. Between the three of them, they will completely immerse you into the world of the rooftop of the Amsterdam Ave. Apartments. Simply the sound of the city itself is enough to make you wonder if in fact the door to the theatre was left open and the ambient sounds you are hearing are actually the sounds of the traffic outside the theatre instead of a carefully balanced track artfully designed to immerse you into the world of the story. The changes to the lighting are so subtle and attuned to the aura of the action on stage, often it is easy to miss that any lighting has been changed. But hint: don’t forget to watch the water tower from time to time! Especially as the ritual begins to see some success, you won’t want to miss out on the action there!
The youngest sister, Heketi, played by Mikaela Secada, does a marvelous job of capturing the youthful essence of her character. Secada exudes the youthful vigor of her character in her performance by emanating the appropriate levels of blissful naivete of a child unaware of some of the experiences her older sisters have already encountered, while still driving home the understanding of the powerful feelings of disconnection from her sisters in being the only one of the three to be of mixed race in being half-white, as well as the cultural weight that can bring.
The middle sister, Èjì, played by Edima Essien, is also fabulous in her ability to play the bridge between the three sisters. The first-born child in the US, Èjì is often the mediator between her older and younger sisters in moments of sisterly tension. Essien carries a wonderful connection between both Gil and Secada, while her character seeks to ease the apprehension of the ritual’s mixed results and the sisters’ agreeance on the next course of action.
Cami, played by Jenni Gil, plays the eldest of the three sisters, and the only one to have memories of living in the Dominican Republic and of their mother in the time before moving to NYC. Gil does a resplendent job of playing the most mature of the three sisters: not yet a woman, but no longer a child. Cami takes the lead role in conducting the ritual of the evening, and most likely being in a place in her life where she feels the most longing of the three for connecting to her heritage. Through Cami’s life experience, she is the one of the three sisters that has the most connection and disconnection of both islands (DR and NY); feeling a sense of belonging and dissociation of both because of the age she was when she moved to NYC. It is through the ritual to summon the Egun that Cami is able to portray the role of “bruja”; a role that allows her as a young woman to seek agency of herself through the magic and beauty of her heritage. Brujas are after all healers; and as we discover through the memories and thoughts shared by the sisters, all three have experiences of some underlying trauma, and the ritual itself seeks to heal and mend these hurts and pains through heritage and traditions that are as plentiful as grains of salt and sought to be absorbed through the “sole of one’s heel.”
The role of the Egun, played by Brittani McNeill, while brief in her time physically onstage, is no less mesmerizing. McNeill’s powerful operatic voice captures the mysticism and ethereal-enchantment of her role as an agglomeration of the ancestors who watch over and love those they attend to. The grace and loving-power McNeill emits in her presence while on stage is healing for Cami’s character in helping guide her through her pain and confusion in navigating her own experiences from anger to power.
While the suggested age says “most enjoyed by 12+,” don’t let that make you think this is just for younger viewers. While I do believe this would be enjoyed by younger theatre-goers, the characteristics of the story itself which focuses on the three young sisters’ experiences, yearnings, and exploration of heritage will resonate with any older viewer as well. That being said, while I do think younger viewers would be fine enjoying this production, some more mature matters are referenced, but never explicitly detailed.
While a seemingly small detail of the set design, I want to draw your attention to that little blue table set in the corner one last time. That table, set with a festive rich blue tablecloth and decorated with the Dominican Republic flag and a collection of festive foil balloons sets the stage for a celebration. And that’s exactly what Beastgirl is at its’ heart: a joyful celebration of connection, heritage, and agency.
Running Time: Approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes with no intermission
Beastgirl plays through April 22nd, 2022 in Studio K at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC. For tickets call the box office at (202) 467-4600 or purchase them online.
