Before attending Men on Boats at the Des Moines Playhouse’s newly renovated black box Studio Theatre this past weekend, I recalled another production of the play I had seen six years ago. I didn’t remember much about the prior viewing, except that I had cried at the end. That and the premise: “a true(ish) history” of the exploits of 10 men on four boats in 1869, rowing west on the Colorado River as they trek the territory for the benefit of the U.S. government.
Notable is playwright Jaclyn Backhaus’ casting choice to avoid putting men on boats. This dramaturgical decision does two big things. Firstly, it allows anachronisms to occur with little risk of shaking the audience out of the place of the play. Two characters declaring “Party boat!” feels beyond the behavior of the 19th century explorers depicted in the play, but communicates kinship and good times quickly to a modern audience without shattering illusions.
Secondly, it allows veteran Playhouse performers like Mary Bricker (Old Shady), Amanda Jackson (William Dunn), Cate Miller (John Wesley Powell) and Michael Beasley (Hall) to flex their muscles in roles they likely wouldn’t be considered for otherwise.
Miller in particular is wonderful to watch as the lead, depicting an ambitious, stalwart leader with a missing arm and a chip on his shoulder because of it. Equally compelling is Jackson’s dynamic portrayal of Dunn — she shows a character, a hunter, who is equally capable of childlike wonder and hyper-masculine hardheadedness.
Another delightful facet of this production comes in seeing new faces. Six of the 10 cast members are new to performing on the Playhouse stage. Many have acted on other stages, but it’s a pleasure to see someone as new as Grandview University Senior Emma Dahle (Hawkins) act against someone as well traveled as Erin Carter Williams Smith (O.G. Howland).
Watching these characters bicker and bond across the course of two acts — risking their lives for the sake of, say, having a mountain named after them — I found myself again and again asking the question, “What do we find precious?”
Granted, you show me any good character-centric piece of media and I will see a story that is concerned with that question, but I think Men on Boats goes deeper.
It asks the audience to consider not only when the characters are treasuring comradery, adventure, whiskey, tobacco, or life and limb — but the priorities of the federal government that sent them down the river. It asks us to consider what the native people of those lands prize. It asks us as modern Americans to determine what we value about this expedition.
Scene from Men on Boats. — Photo by Brent Isenberger courtesy of The Playhouse. 
Scene from Men on Boats. — Photo by Brent Isenberger courtesy of The Playhouse. 
Scene from Men on Boats. — Photo by Brent Isenberger courtesy of The Playhouse. 
Scene from Men on Boats. — Photo by Brent Isenberger courtesy of The Playhouse.
I didn’t cry this time at the ending, disempowering though it is. Without spoiling much, the final scene involves a fourth-wall break that is difficult to land (and I question some of its utility in the script) and while I think the cast does what can be done with it, it left me wanting even a few more minutes of run time to spend with them.
Shows run through Sunday, March 2.
Isaac Hamlet has, at various points, been an arts & entertainment reporter and editor based in Iowa City and Des Moines. He also writes fantasy books under the pseudonym R.E. Bellesmith.
