It’s not long into the Arkansas Repertory Theater’s newest production, “The Call,” that audiences can sense a different tone than many shows that have crossed its stage.
Written by Tanya Barfield and directed by Gilbert McCauley, “The Call” follows a white, middle-class couple in the throes of the adoption process, and who eventually decide to adopt from Africa.
Though interlaced with moments of comedic relief, the show is a slow simmer of tensions and tightrope-walking around unexpected obstacles and unexpected reactions that even surprise the characters themselves.
Annie, played by Chiara B. Motley, is a woman who’s been wrecked by the struggles of infertility, and yet is endearingly desperate for hope, despite the toll it’s taken. Her husband Peter, played by Benjamin Bauman, is the silver lining type who is eager to be Annie’s anchor and to mend his small family.
Their closest friends, Rebecca (Crystal Sha’nae) and Drea (Soara-Joye Ross), bring healthy doses of dramatic flair, loyalty, blunt truth and genuine love to the couple’s lives. And while their neighbor Alemu (Nathan Hinton) at first seems like a bit of a mystery to all, by show’s end, the greater purpose he serves is clear and poignant.
Over the course of the show, the audience watches these characters move from not being certain of how they feel to not actually saying how they feel to finally facing the very real ramifications of their emotion-led choices.
Arkansas Rep’s “The Call” paints a panorama of people grappling with privilege, race and expectations, working through baggage to find new resolve and to spark necessary conversations in all who see it.
“The Call” runs through Feb. 11. For showtimes and more information, or to purchase tickets online, visit The Rep’s website. You can also call (501) 378-0405 or visit the theater’s box office downtown at 601 Main St., Little Rock.