Theater Review: 'Dream Hou$e' at Long Wharf Theatre

NEW HAVEN - Long Wharf Theatre is presenting the world premiere of “Dream Hou$e,” a play written by Eliana Pipes, for a limited run through April 3. The play was co-produced by Alliance Theatre and Baltimore Center Stage and was developed as part of Long Wharf’s 2022 New Works Festival.

Pipes has written a story about two Latinx sisters choosing between cash and their culture. Jacob G. Padrón, Long Wharf’s Artistic Director, notes that this play, “with all of its complexities, has something important to say about what is happening in our world.” At the New Haven theater, partnerships are valued, so the production team is grateful to both the Alliance Theatre and Baltimore Center Stage for being a part of the process.

“Dream Hou$e” follows the two sisters appearing on an HGTV-style television show in an attempt to sell the family home after the death of their mother. The very different siblings are hoping to capitalize on the gentrification in their “changing neighborhood.”

It is as the sisters perform for the camera that the show starts to slip into the surreal. The younger sister Julia grapples with some turmoil in the family’s ancestral past, while Particia learns how much she’s willing to sacrifice for the family’s future.

The script addresses the cultural cost of progress in America, and whether cashing in is always selling out. When the sisters argue about selling their childhood home (and the culture that goes along with it,) as well as the recent death of their mother, everything is clear.

As the play hurdles toward the ending, the purpose of the scenes becomes murkier. I couldn’t figure out if I was watching a dream, or part of the filming, or perhaps both. I understood that the television production team began by staging the home with colorful Hispanic decor, while the final design was clearly more contemporary and generic, but other details of the home’s remodeling were confusing to me. While I was left with more questions than answers, the point that the sisters struggled with the issue of “selling out” was made clear.

Laurie Woolery, a community activist who works with diverse communities across the country, directs the play with a clear vision. Alexis K. Woodard, the current Spelman Leadership Fellow at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, is the associate director.

The three speaking cast members give their characters a strong vision and voice. Darilyn Castillo, who appeared on Broadway in “Hamilton,” is Julia, a social studies teacher expecting a daughter. Renata Eastlick (“For Colored Girls..”) is her elder sister Patricia. Marianne McClellan is Tessa, the animated host of the television show.

The four ensemble members that serve as the production crew for the television show “Flip It and List It” never speak, but when they appear dressed in all-black, they effectively give us a glimpse into the inner workings of the filming process. The ensemble includes Andrew Martinez, Moira O’Sullivan, Ezra Tozian, and Kevin Sisounthone.

The scenic design by Stephanie Osin Cohen, who earned an MFA from Yale School of Drama, evokes the correct style of home and tries to suggest the demolition process. Costumes designed by Haydee Zelideth are contemporary and perfect for the three different personalities of the leading characters. The lighting design by Jason Lynch toggles between reality and the scenes that are filmed for television, especially with the projections designed by Mark Holthusen. Sound design by composer Paul James Prendergast adds to the realism of the production.

“Dream Hou$e” runs until April 3 at Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Drive in New Haven. Proof of vaccination is required to attend. All visitors and staff are required to wear masks. KN95 masks are available on site. For tickets, visit longwharf.org/shows-events/dream-house/Dream Hou$e

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

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