There's something really special happening at Open Eye Theatre right now. They're remounting the 2023 show by Gaelynn Lea and Kevin Kling, a "musical fable" that celebrates diversity culture. And not only sharing the work of disabled artists, but creating a welcoming environment for disabled people to enjoy the arts. I saw more people of varying abilities in the sold-out audience at last night's show than I've ever seen at the theater. Which makes me wonder, what can other theaters do to make their work and their spaces not just more accessible, but more welcoming to the disabled community? But regardless of what your abilities are,
Invisible Fences is an utterly charming, engaging, funny, poignant musical about friendship and accomplishing seemingly impossible goals by working together. This short run is almost sold out, so
act fast to witness the magic at Open Eye Theatre.
Invisible Fences tells the story of two unlikely friends - a very special platypus who calls herself a Largroff because she doesn't quite fit in with the other platypuses, and a grasshopper whose wings that don't quite work as they should don't stop him from living his best life. Unlike her platypus family and friends, Largroff has green fur, horns, a long curly tail, and wings, so she lives by herself in the forest. One day she meets Hoppy, who learns about the world by consuming (literally) books. He's on his way to the big city, and Largroff goes with him on his journey. Being a grasshopper, Hoppy only has a few more weeks to live, but that doesn't stop him from making the most of every moment. The two friends encounter obstacles along the way (including a hungry blue jay and a scary underground tunnel), but eventually find their way to the greatest city in the world - New York City. Largroff supports her friend, and with our help, gives him one final gift, and is changed herself by their friendship.
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Jeremy Ylvisaker, Gaelynn Lea, and Kevin Kling
(photo by Bruce Silcox) |
The show is written and performed by Gaelynn Lea and Kevin Kling, the latter of which is a Minnesota treasure of a storyteller I've seen several times. But this was my first time seeing Gaelynn perform, and she's a delight. She plays a violin like a cello, and sings with a unique folky kind of voice that pierces right to your soul. I found myself tearing up at her whimsical and poignant songs about life, love, and becoming yourself. The script is very funny and full of culture and literature references. Both performers are so playful and fun to watch as they create these unique characters and also a beautiful friendship between them.
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two friends on a journey (Gaelynn Lea and Kevin Kling)
(photo by Bruce Silcox) |
Gaelynn and Kevin are joined onstage by Jeremy Ylvisaker, who narrates the fable (as if he's reading us the best bedtime story), plays electric guitar, and sings harmony. He even does some fun voices of the other creatures in the story. Production assistant Paul Tressler helps with scene transitions, brings Gaelynn her violin, and gets to have a little fun playing characters (without words). The simple set design includes just a few physical pieces, with most of the setting provided by projections of colorful drawings of animals and nature scenes. Our two creature heroes are dressed in fun human/animal costumes, for an overall look that is charming and fairy tale-like. (Lighting design by Ellie Simonett, projection design by Kathy Maxwell, costume design by Claire Looker, and sound design by Dan Dukich.)
These artists are just so talented; in a world that doesn't make things easy for them, they find ways to create and tell stories and share their gifts. It makes me appreciate the abilities that I have that I take for granted, and also admire them for their ingenuity, creativity, and perseverance. And this show is just so much fun, so sweet and funny and inspiring.
I'll leave you with Gaelynn's words from the program, something that this show epitomizes:
It's so important for us to embrace our shared humanity right now - while still celebrating those things that make us distinct individuals. May empathy and integrity be our guides as we strive to build a more welcoming, accessible and caring world for all.
