by Bailey Basham, Messenger Staff Writer

Making its Sewanee debut this week is the popular ensemble play, “Men on Boats.”

Directed by the University’s visiting instructor of theatre Robie Jackson, “Men on Boats” follows 10 explorers as they endeavor to chart the course of the Colorado River.

“Men On Boats” recounts the historical 1869, 1,000 mile expedition down the Green and Colorado Rivers through the Grand Canyon. President Ulysses S. Grant sanctioned this exploration and placed Civil War veteran and geologist Major John Wesley Powell at its helm. It’s noteworthy that Powell did this perilous journey with nine other men who had no whitewater boating experience. Powell had the most boating experience but had lost the lower half of his right arm in the war, so he could not assist with much of the manual labor involved,” Jackson said. “This band of war vets, hunters, trappers, a mapmaker, one British thrill-seeker and a cook deal with all the danger and wonder that uncharted territory can bring. At the end of the three-month expedition, six of the 10 men and two of the four boats emerge on the other side of the canyon.”

Jackson said in selecting the play, which is an ensemble with 12 different characters, the Sewanee theatre department saw a unique opportunity to highlight the female talent at the University. The play is both female-directed and largely female-led.

“At the time of its writing, ‘Men on Boats’ playwright J. Backhaus began to write this play and found herself thinking how she wished that she could portray any of these fantastic male characters. This realization of who gets to tell the story and who is silenced propelled her to make a choice about the casting for the show. She indicates in the script that people other than non-white cisgender males should tell this story,” Jackson said. “That played a large role in our choosing the show, as did the fact that ‘Men on Boats’ would provide a rich and adventurous experience and that would work well outdoors at Angel Park.”

Rehearsals for the show began in late March, and Jackson said the entire team has been hard at work since.

“In rehearsal, we referred to Powell’s actual journal for additional details that would help us. We brought in beloved University Professor Bran Potter to share maps, books, photos, and knowledge of Powell as well as University Outdoors Program director John Benson to help us with basic whitewater rowing and steering techniques for a point of reference.”

Also in preparing, Jackson said the cast ticked the box of one very important component—they all got vaccinated.

Jackson added that it is her hope that those who see the production leave with a new appreciation of American history as well as a healthy desire to question why most of said history has been delivered from the perspective of the white male.

“I hope that seeing a non-white cisgender male cast tell the story reminds us that there is room for everybody, that representation matters and that we are better when we are diverse,” she said. “As a director, my heart always swells with love and appreciation when I witness genuine moments on stage between actors. The moments can be small and poignant or huge and hilarious—it’s when performers connect with one another in a way that transcends the rehearsal process. They lift and illuminate the playwright’s story while they support the truth they experience in one another’s characters. And they give all those beautiful and funny moments to their audience. It’s one of the many reasons I love live theatre. I am so proud of this ensemble.”

“Men on Boats” will run Friday, May 7 through Sunday, May 9 in Angel Park. Performances are at 7 p.m. To reserve your free tickets visit Eventbrite at <https://www.eventbrite.com/e/m...;.