The remains of the day

Remember Sept. 11, 2001? Not the divisive rhetoric thattirelessly evoked the date for political evasion or justification, orthe shameless merchandising that recently reached new lows (9/11Merlot, anyone? Just $19.11), but where you were when you first heardthe tragic news.

Although the official 10th anniversary of the attacks haspassed, Michigan State University’s concurrent productions “WhatHappened?” and “Return To The Upright Position” recall that day withthe dignity rarely seen in televised retrospectives.

Unlike starkly numbing photographs and video, both playsrespectfully recreate those memories viscerally through spoken word andstrategically placed smoke and mirrors.

“What Happened: The September 11th Testimony Project,” byAmy S. Green, is a haunting virtual play-by-play of the day’s events asthey materialized. Audio clips of the morning’s pre-attack newscoverage evoke an eerie time capsule of headlines that were quicklyforgotten. Actors initially hike across the Arena Theater stagemumbling their morning routines in regional accents that sound likeworks in progress. Suddenly: blackout, smoke, dim lights and lots ofshouting. 

The moment the staged attack starts, “What Happened”finds its groove. Instantly, actors become honest and empatheticcharacters, turning descriptive accounts taken from eyewitnessinterviews into a compelling drama.

Director Wes Haskell keeps the action moving, with actorsrunning and crawling across the bare stage, creating the illusion thatyou are near the towers with them. 

Voices from firefighters, police officers and World TradeCenter employees paint a barrage of perspectives as the second tower ishit and the buildings finally collapse. Even if you had no connectionto the events apart from watching them on television, the show’srapid-fire delivery of the unimaginable horror vicariously places theaudience within the madness.

As the action wanes, so does the play’s momentum. Slowly,the play turns from “What Happened” into “Why Did This Happen” in anapparent quest to find meaning in meaninglessness. Understandably,playwright Green feels a responsibility to share the interviewees’fears and hopes in addition to their immediate memories, but itsmoralizing results in an uneven and sometimes uncomfortable resolution.

“Return To The Upright Position,” conceived and edited byCaridad Svich, picks up where “What Happened” leaves off, poeticallychronicling the post-tramatic inner-drama of Sept. 11 survivors andwitnesses.

If “What Happened” is the taped interview, “Return To TheUpright Position” is the dream journal, weaving reality and smokymetaphors into a staged nightmare. “Return” asks thestill-controversial questions, such as “Are the first-responders,firefighters and police really heroes if they were just doing theirjobs?” and “Were the terrorists cowardly for what they did?”

The diversity of voices and perspectives offer more for all audiences to connect with, especially in the Midwest.

The overall theme of Sept. 11 as a catalyst for nationalsoul searching is summed up by one character lamenting the new FederalAviation Administration rule prohibiting flight over heavily attendedsporting events.

“I don’t know how to react to the fact that this countrywill never be the same,” she says, noting the sudden absence of theGoodyear Blimp. Indeed, uncertainty is a universal sentiment.

Director Lynn Lammers provides stunningly detaileddirection to her newbie cast, who look and sound far more experiencedthan they probably are. Even speaking in stream-of-consciousness, thecast members create clearly defined characters that provide voices andfaces to inconsolable pain. 

Costumes by Stephanie Henderson feature deep stains(ashes? blood?) that provide a subtly symbolic touch. And ShannonMelick’s scene design, featuring the New York subway map painted on thefloor and fences wrapped around the posts, give a sense of placewithout clutter.

Both plays are a triumph for the entire MSU Department ofTheatre. The casts and direction in both instances are superb, offeringan opportunity for reflection and remembrance without feelingexploitative or partisan. 

‘Two 9/11 Plays’

Michigan State University Theatre

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, and Thursday, Sept. 29; 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1

MSU Arena Theatre

$10

(800) WHARTON