The Power of Self Discovery (Bunbury Theatre/This Bridge Theatre)

Domesticate By Vidalia Unwin Directed by Alex Biscardi

Review by Erin Hargan Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Erin Hargan. All rights reserved.

Can trauma ever be domesticated—made into something its survivors can live with? Can it be tamed or understood through imagination? Domesticate, by  playwright Vidalia Unwin, explores how trauma can shape both the conscious mind and the creative imagination.

          The central character, Cece, is a reclusive woman who works from home in a job she hates and escapes into writing short stories in her spare time. Tory Parker brings Cece to life with a performance that balances quiet strength and vulnerability, guiding the audience through the character’s inner turmoil. Soon, we meet Mr. Crawl—a figure from one of Cece’s stories who suddenly steps out of her imagination and into her reality. When her roommate, Dan, arrives home, Mr. Crawl vanishes, and the audience learns that Dan, too, is haunted by his own trauma, struggling to maintain stability. The play deepens when another of Cece’s characters, Red, appears, signaling a shift into an exploration of how people live with and process trauma. Cece’s journey includes confronting the pain of a strained relationship with her sister, grieving the loss of a friend, redefining boundaries with her mother and roommate, and ultimately learning to coexist with her trauma. To reveal more of the plot would diminish the beauty of its gradual unfolding—Domesticate is best experienced allowing each audience member to discover personal meaning through their own connection to trauma and healing.

     The stage was simply set, with a background of an apartment with just a couch and kitchenette.  There is so much to unpack in this production that any more than that would’ve distracted from the poignancy of the performance. The cast conveyed the subject with empathy and depth, with each portraying the distinct personalities and experiences of their characters. With Tory Parker’s portrayal of CeCe the audience felt the weight of her character’s struggles and hope of healing.  Zach Stone portrayed Dan’s personal conflicts with great sensitivity. As Tammy, CeCe’s mother, Karole Spangler showed the difficulties that can emerge in raising children. Annie Mayer as CeCe’s friend Tasha highlighted the bond and loyalty she shared with CeCe. Lastly, the audience will not forget the importance of the characters Mr. Crawl and Red in this story.  Ian Fitzgerald played the role of Mr. Crawl with sensitive charm in a physically demanding role. Abigail Knoop as Red provided much-needed laughs in a play that deals with a serious subject.

     Domesticate invites the audience to reflect on their own experiences with trauma and challenges them to consider how they process and live with it.  

Domesticate Bunbury Theatre/This Bridge Theatre

October 12-26 2025

Henry Clay Theatre 

604 S 3rd St

Louisville, KY 40202  https://www.bunburytheatre.org