‘Predictor’ pulls back curtain on long-forgotten inventor

Great theater poses important questions about life, love and who invented the at-home pregnancy test.

This month, Williamston Theatre will close its 2023-‘24 season with the Michigan premiere of “Predictor,” which tells the long-forgotten story of inventor Meg Crane. She only received credit for her invention in 2015, when she was in her mid-70s.

“How many women have stories like this that we don’t know? Her family members didn’t even know about this incredible thing she did,” said Williamston Theatre newcomer Caitlin Cavannaugh, who plays Crane in the show.

Also working with Williamston for the first time is director Billicia Charnelle Hines, who said the play fits well within her focus on social justice theater.

“It’s still so reflective of what’s going on today. Crane made a difference for so many people for all these decades, and that will continue on,” Hines said.

Even with the important topic, Hines described the play as comedic and fast-paced.

“It brings out the craziness of how people were thinking, and are still thinking, about women’s bodies,” she said. “It’s hilarious, so it’s easier for people to take.”

The script follows Crane from her job as a 26-year-old graphic designer at a pharmaceutical company through the 1960s (with flashbacks and flashforwards) as she perseveres through pushback and defies expectations to make an important tool available to women in the privacy of their own homes.

“Before this, the only way to find out if you were pregnant was to go and get a test from a doctor. Typically, your husband would be there, and it could take up to a month to find out,” Cavannaugh said. “Some marriages weren’t equal then. I mean, some still aren’t now, but it was such an invasive and emotionally distressing thing.”

Apart from Cavannaugh, six other cast members play a variety of characters from different periods of the protagonist’s life. Audiences can expect plenty of costume changes and, according to costume designer Mona Jahani, a “constant sense of movement.”

“The show is really timely, in a way, while pulling back the curtain on a figure from the past,” Jahani said. “From the costume design perspective, I wanted a balance between historical and dramatic while trying to strike the interesting tone of the play. It’s not serious all the time. There’s both comedy and drama, and some moments are almost like a game show.”

When asked about designing a show set in the 1960s, Jahani said, “Clothing is such a personal thing for so many people. There might be audience members who lived through this time or have memories or photographs. I tried to find a balance between what my research said and what the audience might expect of the time period.”

She continued, “One of my favorite looks is for Meg Crane. She has a costume change part of the way through the show that coordinates with the change in her character. She’s being brave and taking a leap of faith. And there’s a little line in the script about how the character ‘made the dress herself,’ so I was keeping in mind what it would be like if she had made her dress.”

Cavannaugh shared Jahani’s sentiment that the show is not history; it’s still very much alive.

“During the first preview, we could hear people saying, ‘That’s what it was like,’” Cavannaugh said. “I think a lot of people who see this play will feel seen.”

She continued, “It’s a marathon for me, specifically. While the other six actors play numerous characters, I’m the throughline. There are flashbacks, parties and a disco. It’s really a blast.”

Hines said she feels honored to have been asked to direct the show, calling Williamston Theatre a “family-oriented” theater company. Of the script, she said, “It was a great challenge, and it’s only been produced a few times so far. I like to dig into a new script and be one of the first people to really grab it.”

She continued, “To work on that small of a stage with seven actors was a blocking challenge, but I loved getting into this play. It has all the elements that I want in order to keep getting better as a director. I like to use things within history to reflect what’s going on today so people can see how things are still repetitive. And then, within the world of social justice, I’m using theater to be able to make a difference and empower people.”

She paused, then said, “Even if you don’t really care about history that much, it’s just such a fun play.”