1, 2, 3

I recently saw the play "1, 2, 3" by Lila Rose Kaplan at the San Francisco playhouse. It was phenomenal. The play explores the lives of three sisters who are separated when their terrorist parents are caught. The three sisters grow up in different foster homes, and each struggles with coping with her past. One of the sisters discovers a passion for ballroom dancing, a catalyst for the play to explore interpersonal relationships for these women who have lost so much. The play is beautifully written; the dialogue is sharp, the humor on pointe (and puns are scattered through the play), the staging spare and natural all at once. The story is poignant but not sentimental, challenging our preconceptions of what shapes a person, what influences a child, and how personality can drive one's motivations and decisions. The acting was captivating; you could see amazing connections between all the actresses and the actor, and the characters they brought to life reminded me of people I knew. It was quite spellbinding to see how they focused so much energy and emotion on the stage.

I wish I went to more plays. It was incredibly refreshing. My wife went to college with Lila Rose Kaplan, and we could not give a higher recommendation to go see this play. In a time and society where movies, computers, and social media are king, it is easy to forget art forms as beautiful as this.

Image shown under Fair Use, from sfplayhouse.org.