‘Seedfolks’ Tour Final Thoughts from Sonja Parks
CTC’s production of Seedfolks has been on a three-month tour from Minnesota to Nebraska to New York that just wrapped up in Dawson, MN. Actress Sonja Parks, whose “tour-de-force” performance (The New York Times) includes portraying 22 different characters in the space of an hour-and-a-half-long play, shares some of her favorite moments on the road. Sonja shares a few final thoughts on this illuminating production and the audiences that came to see it.
Can you share a few of your favorite moments while on this tour?
Sonja Parks: I’ve had a few “favorite moments” on the tour! One of the most touching being when we were in Omaha, Nebraska performing at the beautiful Rose Theater. We’d finished the show and the after-show talkback and were headed out of the theatre. The House Manager stopped us and asked if we’d be willing to meet a very special patron. We were introduced to a young man with cerebral palsy and his family who’d waited in the lobby for the entire 45 minutes it took for me to change out of costume and for the crew to wrap up the post-show work list. He and his family wanted to let us know how much he enjoyed the show. He’d insisted they wait so he could tell us himself. And he gave me what his father described as a “special hug” that only his family members usually received! I was so touched that someone would spend an extra hour just to let us know how much they enjoyed what we’d shared.
It was one of those moments that reminded me why I chose to be an artist.
Another was during one of our outreach activities in Lincoln, Nebraska. We were speaking to a group of college theatre majors and it sparked a conversation about racial and gender disparity in the theatre. The students were so honest about their feelings — including how they might be contributing to the problem — that it left me with a strong feeling of hope for the future of our industry. And then, of course, there were all the sweet kids who played along with me when “Sam” comes out in the audience to meet people. I think our stage manager, Jamie, has a list with the names of every single one!
Did you notice any difference in audience reaction to the work between stops in Nebraska, New York, and Minnesota?
Sonja Parks: I think the biggest difference was which communities reacted to what. In Nebraska and especially the smaller towns in Minnesota, the audiences seemed to connect more to the characters themselves. They listened intently when Ana or Gonzalo or Ginny would speak. They were sometimes so quiet — even during the funny parts — I thought perhaps they weren’t enjoying the show, but afterwards, during the talkback, people always remarked on how much fun they’d had. The touring company came to the conclusion that it may be due to the fact that they perhaps had never met someone from Romania or Guatemala or Haiti before and so they were connecting to the people themselves. In New York, the audiences seemed to really connect to the story as a whole. Those kids knew this neighborhood and these people. They had trash-filled vacant lots like the play’s in their own communities. Gonzalo searching for Tio Juan in the bodega, pawn shop, and laundromat were the same businesses they walked by every day. They connected from a place of familiarity.
Were there any new “a-ha” moments for you?
Sonja Parks: The biggest “a-ha” moments for me this time came when certain lines really — and sadly — rang more true. Leona’s “I’ve got two kids in a high school with more guns than books” hurt to say in light of all the recent school shootings. Sae Young’s “Then I leave Korea to come to America with my husband” broke my heart every time in light of this administration’s current attitude toward immigrants; Sam’s description of people building fences to keep people out hurt for the same reason. And Amir confronting Ana about her cruel remark to him in the past confirmed for me that racism is a disease and anyone can catch it. But…maybe these are all also reasons why this little play is so important for children (and adults) to see right now.
From your perspective, what is the most important message this play teaches?
Sonja Parks: I think the most important thing this play teaches is empathy and compassion for one another. The characters show us what it means to see the world from another’s perspective. I feel we’ve all gotten so immersed in our own little bubbles that we’ve forgotten we share space with other human beings. For me, this play is a reminder of what can happen when we stretch beyond our comfort zones and seek to understand those around us.
What is next for Sonja??
Sonja Parks: Next for Sonja is a nice, long vacation sitting in the sun and reading a few good books! The plan is to put all 22 Seedfolks characters to bed and enjoy being just one person for awhile!
