Gadfly: Sam Steiner Dodges the Draft - A Well-Crafted Beat

Theatre of the Beat brings us a lively tale inspired by a true story in Gadfly. It's the journey of Sam Steiner, a young American Mennonite who is struggling to balance his conservative upbringing and the political realities of the late 1960s. The play was commissioned by Conrad Grebel University College and the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada.

A traveling theatre troupe, these performers have just come from the Edmonton Fringe. The show is very polished and the accomplished cast of four actors bring to life several characters who are part of Sam's upbringing and his college life. With a minimal set, the story unfolds through short vignettes as Sam grows up and honours his parents' wishes by going to Goshen College (which is a private Mennonite liberal arts college in Goshen, Indiana). Sam rebels in small ways (refusing to sign in for attending chapel), then eventually joins a group of students who begin to publish an “underground” paper called Menno Pause.  

This story unfolds pretty much as you might expect from the title. However, it's the journey that matters. These characters live in a time and place not so very far away – yet I am too young to have experienced any of the 1960s. It's all history to me. The realities of Sam's life – staying in school means avoiding the draft, ripping up your draft card means getting fired, protesting with Martin Luther King means putting your life in danger... everyone in my generation and younger can appreciate but possibly not fully understand these challenges. Most interesting perhaps, is Sam's fight to be recognized as a conscientious objector on basis of philosophical objections rather than religious grounds. It's not an easy road that he is traveling.  

Kudos for Gadfly. I appreciated the well-crafted script, the elegant stage craft and the solid acting in this show. If the topic interests you, check out Theatre of the Beat.

BONUS DEFINITION SECTION:  For those of you who are unaware, a gad-fly is an insect which annoys horses and other livestock. In politics, the term “gadfly” is someone who persistently challenges the status quo and/or those in positions of power.