Ashley Chodat is a playwright who wants to help empower audiences. Although she went from performer to educator in the performing arts quite fast, anything she produces is worth noting. Her show, simply titled, “June Bug,” may seem like a love letter to alien conspiracies and X-Files, but there’s more to this multi-layered story.
Here, Juniper Myers is telling us about her life. She’s 11 years old, and she dearly loves her grandmother. The two are inseparable. Mom is trying her best to keep this family afloat because there’s no father around. Little is said about him and I suspect he doesn’t exist. But as for grandmama, I brought everything we wanted to know about her to vivid life. They both love Patrick Swayze and watching the movie Dirty Dancing, and despite protests from mum, nothing ever changes.
However, one night sees both matriarchs argue over how to best raise June Bug. Sadly, granny leaves, never to be seen again. The next day, this rambunctious girl “receives” a phone call from former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying she’s been abducted by aliens. And where she’s gone needs someone with a deep connection to find her in the vastness of space.
But something else has happened. I won’t spoil the details, but in terms of what Myers offers is deeply allegorical. It’s not too hard to figure out the actual story. But as for this young woman and what her relationship is with her imagination, it’s very different from Disney’s The Ghost and Molly McGee. I feel June and Molly share similar energy. While one is engaged with the spirit, the other seeks to reunite with it.
June Bug is a thoughtful work that ups the ante in what The Peanuts comic strips would do when concerning the kids dealing with adult situations. Everything happens for a reason. As a result, this young girl is a little wiser, and we can smile by the show’s end.
Tickets can be bought in advance through Intrepid Theatre’s website here.
June Bug Remaining Shows
Sep 01 07:00 pm
Sep 02 04:45 pm
Sep 03 02:15 pm
