(Above: The cast of What the Constitution Means to Me at Oregon Contemporary Theatre includes, left to right, Noah Oristano, Inga Wilson, and Alexander Holmes.)

Edited by Randi Bjornstad

Although it was written in 2017 — and garnered many accolades and prizes, up to and including a Pulitzer Prize finalist nomination — given the current state of the world and the U.S. political scene, 2023 may be an even more important time to stage Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me, which is exactly what Oregon Contemporary Theatre is doing, from Sept. 15 through Oct. 1.

It’s even more special, because Schreck (who herself played the lead when the show opened on Broadway in 2019) has a definite and distinctive link to the Eugene theater community.

The local connection

Here’s how Craig Willis, OCT’s producing director and director of this production of What the Constitution Means to Me, recounts the connection in his director’s notes to the play:

“Bringing Heidi Schreck’s What The Constitution Means To Me to OCT is a unique homecoming. Heidi was an undergrad at the University of Oregon in the early 1990s when Randy Lord and Chris Leebrick started Lord Leebrick Theatre Company (which became OCT in 2013). And Heidi appeared in several Lord Leebrick productions while still a student. Coincidentally, I was asked by Randy and Chris to direct Heidi in a production of The Tempest for their startup theater (Heidi was a senior at UO and I was in my last year of an MFA). I had to withdraw, though Heidi starred as Hermione (directed by our mutual friend, Rob Urbinati).

“What The Constitution Means To Me is a thoughtful autobiography. Heidi’s time in Eugene and at the UO were informative years, and events here play prominent roles in the play. Heidi and I remained friends after leaving Eugene. It helped that we both moved to Seattle, worked on a project together (me as scenic designer, Heidi as actor). And for the next decade I had the opportunity to see her in several great roles on stages all around Seattle. We’re Facebook friends now, so we ‘stay in touch.’

“Working on this play, I can’t help but feel like I am finally getting to direct Heidi, with the odd twist of having Inga Wilson standing in. If you know Heidi well, the cadence, humor, and intellectual ferocity of this script sound so much like her speaking—even when coming from a different mouth. And we are SO FORTUNATE to have Inga here to tackle this commanding role. I can’t imagine another actor—apart from Heidi—who could convey this story with such humor, grace, and impact.

“As a side note, Heidi’s success as a writer (she’s written several award winning plays  and is a successful TV writer), was foretold to me by two prominent artistic directors (one from Yale Rep, the other from New York Theatre Workshop where Constitution was developed). It was about 2009, and Heidi had just received an Obie Award for Best Actor in Annie Baker’s Circle, Mirror, Transformation. I was about to produce that play in Eugene, and Heidi’s name came up in conversation. Separately, both of these highly respected directors stopped me to make sure I knew that Heidi is not only a brilliant actress but also a really good playwright. A year or two  after that, her name began appearing in theater season announcements at leading theaters around the country. I’m glad we’re getting her back on the OCT (formerly Lord Leebrick) stage.”

The play

The premise of What the Constitution Means to Me is the story of a 15-year-old student (appropriately named Heidi), who earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. Playwright Schreck reconstructs herself as a teenager as she examines the relationships among four generation of women and the way the country’s founding document — the Constitution of the United States — shaped their various lives during their various eras.

Inga Wilson stars in the OCT version of the play, along with Alexander Holmes and Noah Oristano. Director Willis, who also created the scenic design, is joined on the production team by lighting designer Chris Lewis and costume designer Laura Tuffli. Riley Allen is production stage manager.

What the Constitution Means to Me

When: 7:30 p.m. ($20 or pay-what-you-can performances) on Sept. 13 and 14; 7:30 p.m. opening night on Sept. 15, plus 7:30 p.m. performances on Sept. 16, 21-23, and 28-30; matinee performances at 2 p.m. on Sept. 24 and Oct. 1

Where: Oregon Contemporary Theatre, 194 West Broadway in downtown Eugene

Tickets: $45 on opening night includes post-show reception; other dates $25/$39/$49, discounts for students with current ID; available at 541-465-1506 or online at octheatre.org