-Brenda Hillegas
Photo: Sarah Gliko, Brandon J. Pierce, Jennifer Kidwell, and Steven Rishard, by Johanna Austin.
A smart house that’s not too far off from how we live now, a talking goose and snowflakes (okay- we don’t have those just yet), and a man selling a cocktail that will allow you to extend your life…all of these elements from Wilma Theatre’s world premiere of Eternal Life Part 1 will make you think about so much. Most importantly, “what are you doing?”
What are you doing with your time on earth? What have you done? What do you want to leave for your children, your grandchildren? If you could live forever, what do you want to do and see? Why? Have you done enough already?
These questions aren’t meant to stress you out, yet our leads, Steven Rishard (as man) and Jennifer Kidwell (as woman) watch their son grow up in a flash (Brandon J. Pierce) and go off to outer space after working with NASA. The show is about 120 minutes (with intermission), and for many of us, it does feel like our lives and children do evolve in just two hours rather than decades. Time moves fast.
Playwright Nathan Alan Davis really tells an important story with Eternal Life Part 1. We’ve all thought about the scenarios that play out on stage. We’ve likely had similar conversations with ourselves and our loved ones. This show will remind us to just live and appreciate the time we have left. At the end of the day, we’re here to love, make friends, enjoy good art and have fun. That’s enough of a legacy. Don’t overthink it.
For cast info, theatre policies, and tickets, click here. The show runs through April 30th.
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