The fight for women's reproductive freedom comes full circle PREDICTOR at Capital Stage through July 23rd.

The quest for knowledge, legacy, and identity swirl through this expertly-executed dark comedy.

Photo by Charr Crail

Photographed: Peter Mohrmann*, Janis Stevens*, Lee Anthony Williams, Cole Winslow, Devin Valdez, Tiffanie Mack, Alissa Doyle*. (*AEA)

In Predictor, a new play by Jennifer Blackmer, Chorus #1 as portrayed by Devin Valdez, states “There’s a moment when everything changes.”

She continues, “A moment when what was once a neutral exercise becomes personal and profound.”

In context of the play, it is speaking of the event of Margaret Crane, the protagonist of Predictor, being struck with the idea that would eventually result in the creation of the home pregnancy test. But when I heard these words, I could only think of the fact that at the ripe age of 37, I have always had access to abortion and reproductive services and have only had to think of that being threatened until only very recently.

So it is extremely appropriate that on Saturday, June 24, 2023, exactly one year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the West Coast premiere of Predictor opened at Capital Stage in midtown Sacramento.

Based on true events, Predictor is the real-life story of Meg Crane who, in 1967, defied all odds and expectations to become the inventor of the first home pregnancy test. An imaginative, stubborn, recovering-Catholic graphic artist with a proclivity for seeing things differently, Margaret contemplates the decision to sell her patent for the first home pregnancy test to Organon Pharmaceuticals.

While this subject could easily be presented as a somber, cerebral drama, Predictor is instead a masterclass in bringing history to life through comedy, blending high-stakes theatricality and leaning into the absurdity of how “women’s issues” have been treated in our culture.

Our journey begins at Organon Pharmaceuticals and there we meet Meg Crane, played by the pitch perfect Alissa Doyle who takes on the protagonist role with a bespoke mixture of earnestness and tenacity. She has been brought to Organon as a freelancer to work on what her boss refers to as “Woman stuff” and quickly realizes her training as a designer at the prestigious Parsons School of Design means less to her new employer than her perspective on how much she (or her hypothetical husband) is willing to pay for lotion.

The show opens with a single spotlight on Doyle, who is immediately captivating as she is asked to sign the rights away to her invention, and from there Predictor explodes into a world of bright color and dynamic performances as we meet the six-person Greek Chorus that shape the world of Meg Crane.

The Greek Chorus, a theatrical device originating in ancient Greek theater involving a small group of performers who engage in narration or story—commenting on the central action of a play, is truly “Greek” in Predictor. The Organon, isn’t just the pharmaceutical company that Meg works for but another name for the standard collection of Aristotle's six works on logic. Six works on logic, six chorus members… My favorite kind of reference.

Each Chorus member plays several roles with underlying themes: passion (Chorus #1), self-doubt (Chorus #2), rebellion (Chorus #3), self-assurance (Chorus #4), antagonism (Chorus #5) and love (Chorus #6) are explored in depth, and the ensemble performs in lock-step, switching in and out of characters sometimes while still on stage. These varied characters allow the story to be told in a combination of flashbacks and emotionally heightened reveries, showcasing the comedic flexibility of Doyle who often transforms from adult woman to small child while not leaving her seat. Doyle’s ability to shift from each of her personas and identities mirrors my own experience of being a woman in the world who is asked to play many roles: daughter, mother, wife, employee; I am all of these things but never at the same time.

Chorus standouts include Chorus #5, Lee Anthony Williams, newcomer to Cap Stage, playing the antagonist of the story, Jack, the manager tasked with bringing the home pregnancy test to market for Organon and has little patience for the tenacity of Meg Crane. Williams effortlessly blends condescension and bravado into a brilliant counterpart to Devin Valdez’s Chorus #1 who plays characters who convey unbridled belief in the mission of Predictor and Meg herself. Valdez’s tour-de-force performance features Jody, best friend and advocate for the artistic soul of Crane, and is balanced with a character, Lillian, who seeks out the home pregnancy test in a desperate attempt to keep a possible pregnancy private. Valdez’s jumps from being highly entertaining with some of the best lines in the play to being somber and reminding us that the journey of Predictor is bigger than Meg Crane and bigger than all of us. The bond between the two women is palpable as she utters my favorite line in the entire play: “This is for every woman who wants to be a mother, and every woman who doesn’t.” The casting and utilization of the actors by director Imani Mitchell shows a great understanding of the material and a nuanced sense of storytelling through humor.

The rest of the production is as nuanced as the performances, including the production design. Upon entering Capital Stage, you are immediately faced with what looks like a very simple set: pillars and a wide playing space, lit with a clear wash and trimmed with strategically placed LED lighting strips. Do not let this simple façade fool you. When the set, designed smartly by Cameron Hoyt, is in play, we see that there is more to meets the eye. The pillars turn to reveal four very specific settings that help move the story along, and the different Chorus characters bring on some of the most clever props and set pieces that I have seen. The sundial was a particular favorite.

The play, based on true events, fittingly culminates in a true to life conundrum. Meg’s invention is taken through product development and is too “controversial” for the late 1960s America, thus creating road blocks at Organon that threaten its ability to come to market. Meg’s choice is made clear to her: sign away her rights to the invention or the project never sees the light of day. As the final moments of the play unfolded, I couldn’t help but cry as I realized how similar these set of “choices” were to the women in the generation before reproductive services were a guaranteed right, which is now in serious peril for women my age and younger.

Predictor is a new play and I commend artistic director, Michael Stevenson, for choosing a piece that is both timely and cathartic in these uncertain times. I left the play (both times) feeling a combination of sorrowful and hopeful as I believe that theatre like this has the opportunity to change minds and change hearts. The show runs through July 23rd and tickets can be purchased at CapStage.org

Theatre Habit is a free publication aimed at amplifying live theatre in Northern California. Please subscribe today.