The Bent’s current production, Lisa Kron’s In the Wake, premiered in 2010—and though it’s set in the early 2000s, the production’s themes remain quite relevant today.
As the play opens, Manhattan writer and political activist Ellen (Kim Schroeder Long) and her teacher boyfriend, Danny (Ashley Robinson), are preparing Thanksgiving dinner while the TV provides constant updates on the contested 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. Dinner guests include Danny’s sister, Kayla (Kudra Wagner), and her wife, Laurie (Jessica Lenz), who live downstairs; and Ellen’s longtime friend Judy (Sharianne Greer), a 50-something humanitarian worker heading to Kentucky for her mother’s funeral.
While Danny tries to keep things light, Ellen stays glued to the television, filled with outrage over the Republicans’ actions regarding the election. The recently married Kayla is politically astute as well. She bristles when anyone describes Laurie as her girlfriend: “She’s my WIFE!” Judy initially comes across as a dour, grumpy house guest who spends a lot of time smoking out on the patio, but later drops some pearls of wisdom that move the play forward.
Later, we meet Ellen’s childhood friend Amy (J. Clare Merritt), an experimental filmmaker. When the two sit down for an in-depth chat following a conference, and Ellen rambles on about infrastructure, tax codes and strip malls, Amy makes it clear she’s interested in doing more than discussing politics. Rounding out the cast is Tessa (Allie Hebb), Judy’s 14-year-old biracial niece, who’s been rescued from a physically abusive home.
There’s a lot going on here—political unrest, love triangles, career frustrations, bigotry and plain-old existential angst.
Ellen’s near-obsession with politics is an overriding theme. When she discovers that the curmudgeonly Judy hasn’t voted in years, she’s stunned. But Judy has her reasons: “Why should I participate in a system I don’t believe in?”
Director Laura Stearns has assembled a strong cast and does an excellent job of bringing out effective performances from each of them.
Schroeder Long is a revelation as Ellen. Known to valley audiences as a superb singer, this is her first local non-musical role. This play revolves around Ellen—it is an intense, dialogue heavy part. There’s a very brief love scene, and a number of emotional monologues delivered directly to the audience—and Schroeder Long nails it all. Crying onstage believably is not easy; it requires exceptional acting skills and a willingness to be totally vulnerable, which can be terrifying. Many actors just cannot do it, but Schroeder Long goes all in: We see genuine pain, and we cry along with her. It is an acting tour de force.
Robinson is perfectly cast as the affable boyfriend Danny. He’s a jovial teddy bear of a guy who really loves Ellen and is always trying to look at the bright side of things—but everyone has their limit. He’s not willing to tolerate sharing her with Amy or anyone else. During one intense scene with Ellen, the two actors do not speak for a lengthy period of time, but their emotions are quite clear. To be able to command a stage in silence is another hallmark of first-rate acting.
Wagner is quite good as Kayla. Politically aware like Ellen, Kayla is very protective of her marriage to Laurie, but she’s beginning to question whether her fledgling writing career will provide the security she’s craving.
Lenz does a very nice job as Laurie, who was in New York during the Sept. 11 attacks. We feel the depth of her PTSD when, in one heated exchange with Ellen about the semantics of fear, she exclaims, “Nothing about that day felt regular!”
The character of Judy is complex, and Greer rises to the occasion. She comes across as a real Debbie Downer—cranky, depressed and frumpy. But in her 50-plus years, she’s seen more of life than the other characters and has obtained some wisdom along the way. Greer lets us see a bit of what’s going on inside, and makes Judy more likable in the end.
In the smaller role of Tessa, Hebb holds her own. She likes George W. Bush and seems to disapprove of gay marriage and Ellen and Danny’s choice to eschew matrimony and co-habitate instead.
The production values are all excellent, including Jason Reale’s set. He makes Ellen’s modest but cozy New York apartment seem very inviting. The lights (Damian Jesus Mercado) and costumes (Stearns, doing double-duty) work well here. Congrats to Nick Wass, designer of the sound and the very effective video screen above the stage, which streams news footage from impactful world events—Bush’s victory and inauguration, the Sept. 11 attacks and the Iraq invasion.
The questions raised are just as relevant in 2026: How do you handle outrage over a dire political situation? When does activism become obsession? When do you pull back and focus on your own little world to maintain your sanity? What are appropriate boundaries in a romantic relationship? When is a big career risk worth taking? What is a personal blind spot, and is it OK to have one?
Good theater should be thought-provoking, and The Bent’s In the Wake certainly qualifies. The only real downside is that, at a running time of two hours and 45 minutes, the play is a bit too long. That responsibility lies with the playwright; Kron’s messages could have gotten across with more impact had she shortened the production by about 30 minutes.
In the Wake is a well-produced, moving play with strong acting that’s definitely worth seeing.
The Bent’s production of in the Wake will be performed at 7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Saturday, Feb. 28 (with the exception of the Feb. 28 show, which is at 2 p.m.), at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E. Baristo Road, in Palm Springs. Tickets are $42, and the running time is two hours and 45 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission. For tickets or more information, visit thebent.org.