What I liked
In the Valley of the Shadow is a trifecta of craft, heart, and talent. Katherine Cortez comments upon injustice and horror by creating something beautiful from it’s ashes. By tempering harsh reality with laugh-out-loud humor, she captures the audience’s attention, and leads them with grace, ceaselessly providing thought provoking moments. The constraints of the space caused the set be borrowed from another play, however, masterfully utilized by the director, it appeared to have been made to suit exactly the needs of this show. Fully embodied characters, masterfully brought to life by the cast elevate the work beyond the page into a living phoenix that testifies, not only for 49 souls, but for their families, lovers, and our human community.
What I didn't like
When a play whisks you away like this, any details that might have been improved upon are so minute they were forgotten on the car ride home.
My overall impression
In the Valley of the Shadow is a trifecta of craft, heart, and talent. Katherine Cortez comments upon injustice and horror by creating something beautiful from it’s ashes. Fully embodied characters, masterfully brought to life by the cast elevate the work beyond the page into a living phoenix that testifies, not only for 49 souls, but for their families, lovers, and our human community.
