John Strand’s The Originalist is currently at the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s Upperstage. The story is a fictional account of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, an “Originalist” when it comes to the interpretation of the country’s founding documents, and his working relationship with Cat, a liberal female law clerk. The play first premiered in Washington, D.C., and Scalia himself attended.
Law school graduate Cat (Ayanna Bria Kakari) applies to be Antonin Scalia’s law clerk, despite her liberal/progressive leanings and his arch conservative opinions. Their interview is tense, but she notes they have things in common, including their Catholic faith, and a desire to seek a better nation through the rule of law. Scalia (Henry Woronicz) takes her on, and the two engage in rigorous debate on the issues before the Supreme Court. Unbeknownst to Scalia, Cat is gay and is a LGBT rights activist, which is one of the most divisive issues before the court. Scheming fellow law clerk Brad (Jeb Burris), who is also a conservative, threatens to “out” Cat; she, however, beats him to the punch and discovers Scalia is far more open-minded than she thought. Scalia takes her to a rifle range to learn to shoot a weapon, and reluctantly she learns. In the meantime, Cat’s father is slowly failing, and then dies. Scalia shows her compassion and a way back to her faith. Back in the court’s chambers, however, Scalia writes a scathing dissent on United States v. Windsor, which invalidated parts of the Defense of Marriage Act and opened the way to legal same-sex marriage in the country. Cat begs him to couch his dissent not in personal terms, but through flaws in process of law. He changes the wording of his dissenting opinion after seeing her point of view.
Despite the heavy subject matter, The Originalist has more than a few laughs. Scalia was well-known for his wit and charm — even people who disagreed with him reported they enjoyed his company and appreciated his intellect. The small cast does yeoman’s service to a play that could be as dry as legal proceedings in lesser hands. The tension and witty give-and-take between Supreme Court Justice and law clerk is brightened by the dynamic between Bakari and Woronicz, an oil-and-water pairing that ends in mutual respect. Burris’ Brad, the smarmy neo-Con parroting right wing talking points to further his ambitions, lands his role nicely. Thanks to director James Still, the actors move through the play without falling into stereotypes. A minimalist set from Rueben Lucas and subtle lighting by Betsy Cooprider-Bernstein provide just the right gravity to this dialogue-heavy play.
The Originalist will be at the IRT through November 12. Tickets start at $25; visit www.irtlive.com or call the box office at 317-635-5252 for availability.
