Sometimes theater is escapist entertainment (see
The Drowsy Chaperone), and sometimes it's not. Sometimes it deals with difficult real-life issues and gives a voice to people whose stories need to be heard. The new play
Trust is an example of the latter. It's intense and difficult to watch, but such an important story, and an all too familiar one. This story about a survivor of clergy abuse was written by John Woehrle and
inspired by the real-life experience of his friend Jim Hanson (both of whom act in the play), and it's obviously a labor of love. The creators have worked with survivor networks as they developed the piece, which makes its
Twin Cities debut at the Lab Theater. I was truly impressed by this work from a first-time playwright, a first-time director (actor Rich Remedios), and actors who were mostly unfamiliar to me.
Trust is a powerful play telling an important story, tough to watch but worth the effort.
