History Lit

This is for the Komodo mobile food Truck parked in Pasadena for the semi-​annual Art Night. Great gourmet Asian fusion tacos! Gotta try it. Follow them on Twitter @komodofood

I love Wicked Lit, so when I saw the posting for History Lit I was intrigued. I like history and period drama… and as my degree is in English, I like literature. History Lit 2012 features three new stage plays based on the work of great women authors.
Like Wicked Lit, it is «an immersive theatrical event that features adaptations of short stories» but instead of the spooky Halloween plays, History Lit features plays «that reflect history in creative ways». A huge draw for me was the setting. It’s not a typical theater, but uses the grounds in and around the Fenyes Mansion at Pasadena Museum of History. What a treat to be able to go inside the Historic building which dates back to 1905. They use the areas well and really create the feeling that you are an active observer as the plays progress. Audiences are divided into groups via the color sticker placed on their program (red, yellow, blue) and follow actors from location to location, throughout the grounds, as the plays happen all around.
I attended Sunday night’s performance. Wow. It was like stepping back in time. I was overwhelmed with emotion by the powerful plays.
«Two Pictures in One» (adapted from «The Two Altars: Or Two Pictures in One» by Harriet Beecher Stowe) had me in tears, but was so important to have seen. It was an interesting comparison of of two Massachussets families: «the Wards, an 18^th Century Anglo family living during the early days of the American Revolution and the Caffeys, a 19^th Century African-​American family living ten years prior to the Civil War.» The two hosts who walked you to the site where this play was held really helped to transport you in time as you followed them.
«The Garden Party» (adapted from the short story of the same name by Katherine Mansfield) was about a wealthy family affected by an accident down the road. The ending really made me think. The use of the outside grounds was very well done.
«The Yellow Wallpaper» (adapted from the short story of the same name by Charlotte Perkins Gilman) was the one that I really came to see. I had high expectations and they were well met and exceeded. The actress was phenomenal and it was a brilliant and creative use of staging. I drove home in silence as I thought about the play for quite a while after I left. It really made you angry about how women were treated in the late 1800s. The story was written by Gilman while she lived in Pasadena.
Hints: Sign up for their Facebook page for discounts and announcements. They sell hot cider, coffee, and snacks (2 for $ 3). I would recommend getting drinks early as you can write your name on the cup and get refills during the breaks between shows.
Don’t miss out — it was really good.
May 11 – 26, 2012 All performances begin promptly at 8pm