Buffalo Theater Ensemble closes season with premiere of “Into The Earth With You”

Three sisters (played, from left, by Lisa Dawn, Laura Leonard Ownby and Kelli Walker) deal with the death of their grandfather in Buffalo Theater Ensemble’s production of “Into The Earth With You.”
Courtesy of Rex Howard Photography

If you want to experience something absolutely unimaginable, frightening and philosophical, you should attend the world premiere of “Into The Earth With You” presented by Buffalo Theater Ensemble. The play runs through June 2, at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Playhouse Theater located at the McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn.

“Into The Earth With You” is written by Brian Watkins, creator and executive producer of the Amazon series “Outer Range,” and directed by actor and director Kurt Naebig, a member of the Buffalo Theater Ensemble and also a member of Actors. ‘ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Managers.

According to the program, the story takes place in a quaint cabin, far from a small town, somewhere in the mountains. It’s September, with the first act taking place in 1999, the second act seven years later, and the third act seven years later.

The play is so complicated and thought-provoking that it took me a few days to digest it after seeing it on May 2. It’s the story of three sisters whose grandfather died. It seems that the story is simple and in some ways can be called average (things happen, loved ones die…), but in this case everything is completely different.

At the beginning, one of the sisters listens to a tape in which she talks to her grandfather, and during this conversation he dies. Pretty scary, right?

That’s true, but there’s a line she said on that tape that she probably shouldn’t have said. You can call me superstitious, but by saying that sentence, she probably put a curse on herself. Subsequent events prove that she did so.

In any case, this play can be described as both a drama and a comedy: drama because of the sad situation with the grandfather and because of the complicated and not always happy relationships between the sisters, and comedy because of the how the whole situation is presented and how the actors demonstrate their characters. Their playing is a work of art in itself and their interaction with each other is very interesting.

There is also something that is the center of attention, which is best described in the Buffalo Theater Ensemble’s description of the play. “Grandfather is gone. No elegy. No funeral songs. No dowry. Everything goes to the grave. But three sisters can’t forget what’s buried when an impossible discovery upends their notions of loss and leaves the women wondering: Who among us did the digging?

How did this world first come to Glen Ellyn? It’s an interesting story in itself.

“In 2017, I attended a meeting at the Juilliard School,” Kurk Naebig wrote in the director’s note. “While I was there, some of the writers in the playwriting program read short scenes from their shows. In one scene, three women played the role of sisters. It was funny, it moved quickly, it had heart, it was mysterious and the scene really had an impact on me. A few weeks later, I called the school and asked if I could read a copy of the play in its entirety. It was “Into The Earth With You” by Brian Watkins. I was immediately drawn in… The mystery, the conflict, the comedy, the myriad of surprises and the difficult but truthful relationship that these three sisters shared kept me from putting it down.

Today, Naebig is excited to bring together a talented group of actors and designers to present the world premiere of this exciting play by the Buffalo Theater Ensemble.

The roles of the main characters are presented by wonderful actors. The role of grandfather is presented by Norm Woodel; the role of May Carver is presented by Lisa Dawn; the role of Carly Carver is presented by Laura Leonardo Ownby; the role of Quinn Carver is presented by Kelli Walker; and the role of Jim Elbert is presented by Robert Jordan Bailey.

The production direction and direction of the play include the following top professionals: original music and sound design are by Christopher Kriz; scenic design is by Sarah Lewis; lighting design is by Garrett Bell; the general artistic director is Connie Canaday Howard; the associate artistic director is Amelia Barrett; costume, hair, makeup and property design is by Kimberly G. Morris; and the director of violence is Neil Massey.

The production team is also full of top professionals, such as stage manager Jennifer J. Being and assistant stage managers Riley Skalski and Daniela Luna (BTE Stage Management Fellow), to name a few.

One thing worth mentioning about this production is that everyone can relate to it. The characters of three sisters are very different, so everyone can find something that is close to their heart. The sisters’ attitudes towards the situation are also different, which is quite interesting. This production makes you think and analyze. Plus, the room has something that makes it different. It shows vibrant family relationships and the assurance that the spirit world is all around us.

“It has supernatural elements, it’s a little spooky and it feels quite contemporary too,” mentioned Naebig in her interview with MAC director Diana Martinez.

Please also be aware of adult themes and language in the room.

The duration of this production is 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission. An ASL (American Sign Language) performance will take place on Thursday, May 23.

It’s Buffalo Theater Ensemble’s 37th anniversary season, and “Into The Earth With You” is a great conclusion.

Tickets are $44 or $42 for ages 60 or older, 17 or younger; Online fees apply. For tickets, call (630) 942-4000 or go to www.atthemac.org/events/into-the-earth/.

The box office is open from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and two hours before the performance.

Buffalo Theater Ensemble is partially supported and funded by generous grants from Arts DuPage, Choose DuPage, College of DuPage Foundation, The Norm Woodel Inspiration Fund, the DuPage Foundation, Benevity, Illinois Arts Council Agency and generous support from the College of DuPage Trustees and the staff of the McAninch Arts Center.