Review: “Bullet Catchers”

A new play by Maggie Moore and Julia Sears raises an important topic of women in combat, infusing a real life issue with Greek mythology. 

The misconception that women are inferior to men physically and in leadership qualities dominates many spheres of life, and not least of all the military forces. Up until December 2015, women couldn’t officially apply for some positions in the US army, including the infantry. But even after the combat ban was lifted, women in uniform continue to fight criticism of the skeptics.  

Sandra W. Lee and the cast of Bullet Catchers in rehearsal

Maggie Moore and Julia Sears, co-creators of Bullet Catchers (slang for infantry), joined forces with serving military members and veterans in extensively researching the issue of women in combat. The result of two-year development is a play set in the not-so-distant future, following the first official mixed gender infantry unit from the recruitment to training and then to deployment. On top of daily life threats and personal dramas unfolding at home, five women and two men experience constant pressure of being evaluated by their superiors.    

The military background of some cast members enriches the entire production with heartfelt, realistic nuances. Unfortunately we don’t get to know all seven members of the unit closely, and just enough information is provided to develop an emotional connection with some of them. I felt for Sergeant Kalli Kovas (Adrienne Brammer), a mother separated from her little daughter; and Lieutenant Colonel Maya De Los Santos (Jessica L. Vera), trying to appear tough in front of her subordinates by hiding the fact that she is married to a woman. But a lot of the relationships inside and outside the base are left as loose ends.   

Parallel to the infantry unit, we are introduced to Até, the daughter of the god named War (Sandra W. Lee, doubling as Jordan, Maya’s wife). She opens the play challenging her father by saying that war can have a woman’s face. To fulfill her mission she selects Maya as her “weapon”. Até appears throughout the play. Invisible to mortals, she gestures with her hands, manipulating soldiers like a puppeteer. Bullet Catchers evidently strives for a Greek epic level of pathos here but instead confuses the audience. The reinvented goddess from the Greek mythology seems to be from another play, when Bullet Catchers is best when talking about real women in combat.     

With that said, Sandra W. Lee playing the enraged warrior, does make a few stunning appearances. During the prologue, two massive shadows of Até dance on the walls of Judson Memorial Church as she swings her sword. In this, and many other instances, the dramatic lighting by Kelley Shih creates memorable visuals in a space with virtually non-existing set design.

By itself, the empty hall of the late 19th century church, with the stained glass windows and arches supported by columns, is a very dominating space. Bullet Catchers has a hard time making it home, partly because of the acoustics. It is really difficult to hear the actors if they are facing away from you, and with the audience seated on three sides it is unavoidable. The acoustics pay off during the a cappella coda sung by the entire cast.

The show is sprinkled with dancing sequences emulating the everyday routine of the “bullet catchers” set to lyrical ballades. These, and some other instances of inventive staging by the director Julia Sears, are the most memorable moments of Bullet Catchers, but unfortunately the current production suffers from a lack of cohesiveness.  

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Bullet Catchers plays at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square Park South, through August 5th, 2017. The running time is 100 minutes with no intermission. Performance days and times vary; check calendar for details. Tickets are $20 and are available at bulletcatcherstheplay.com. Veterans and military members can inquire about discounted rates by emailing bulletcatchersboxoffice@gmail.com. 

Bullet Catchers is by Maggie Moore and Julia Sears. Directed by Julia Sears. Produced by Clutch Productions and Josiah Grimm. Sound Design is by Almeda Beynon. Lighting Design is by Kelley Shih.

Featuring and Co-Written by: Adrienne Brammer, Rebecca Hirota, Sandra W. Lee, Jay Myers, Victoria Nassif, Jessica L. Vera, Emma C. Walton, Damion J. Williams

[This review was published on theasy.com on 7.23.17]