Let's Keep Going (Pandora Productions)

Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix Music and Lyrics by EllaRose Chary and Brandon James Gwinn Directed by Ari Calvano Music Direction by Nina Espinueva Review by Kate Barry

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It is an iconic scene. Two women, in a ’66 Thunderbird, kiss, grab hands and speed at full capacity off a cliff. A moment in movies that helped define Generation X, Gina Davis and Susan Sarandon share a love on screen as they escape unhappy marriages and abuse in Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise. Pandora Productions current offering of Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix proposes that these women shared a Sapphic romance. As they embrace a new identity, their relationship grows more complicated yet stronger in the end.

Marianne Zickuhr and Annie Mayer are cast as Thelma and Louise, respectfully. Opening night was post-poned to Saturday August 9^th with Sue Crocker stepping in for Annie Mayer who was sick.  Zickuhr delivered a tough as nails yet vulnerability to Thelma. As she explores her queer identity, Zickuhr takes strides to embrace how boring it is to settle down and how complicated coming out can be. As Louise, Crocker kept a good pace as she stayed on book with Music Director Nina Espinueva handling the singing. Crocker had good comedic timing and served a worthy performance as an understudy for an iconic role.

While Zickuhr and Crocker might not have had a strong romantic chemistry, they channeled plenty of confusion and self doubt as well as support for one another. The jokes they shared landed with good timing and the relationship was apparent. The love they are portraying with the unforeseen cast change might be more platonic but that’s ok too.

As Thelma and Louise grow in their relationship, a Riot GRRL band consisting of queer femme, femme presenting and gender nonconforming performers provide a Greek Chorus of sorts. Blazer, Cubby, Henrietta and Marie (Kristina Nguyen, Regina Frost, Marylee Camp and Floren K) are a band who cannot decide on a name but throw out several suggestions revolving around famous queer women like Margaret Cho, Willa Cather and Eleanor Roosevelt. Sometimes helpful and other times, judgmental, this band holds Thelma and Louise in high unreachable standards. Wanting the duo to obtain super heroes status, or ‘Vagilantes’, the band members serve as societal pressure with nearly unsurmountable expectation. Musically, the band rocked hard and brought emotionally charged punk rock flair. Floren K on lead vocals, and Marylee Camp and Regina Frost giving back up, the songs are raw and cathartic.

As Thelma and Louise examine what their relationship means within the queer community, they are challenged and nearly driven apart. But as they look to the past, they realize all they have is each other. And that love is more powerful than anything.

Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix Pandora Productions August 9, 10, 15-17, 21-24 Henry Clay Theater 604 S 3rd Street Louisville KY 40202 pandoraprods.org