Hind Jadallah-Karaa plays Miriam in “The Bones of Contention,” a play that debuts Wednesday at UCSB Hatlen Center.
One day, hopefully soon, the COVID-19 pandemic will end.
What’s next for society?
“The Bones of Contention,” a new play written and directed by UCSB professor Leo Cabranes-Grant, explores that question.
UCSB Department of Theater and Dance students will perform “The Bones of Contention” at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday at UCSB Hatlen Theater. Matinees will be there at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The play takes place in the fictional Californian community of Yitipaka, which is dealing with emotional loss, economic challenges and an environmental crisis in the aftermath of the pandemic. The cast of nine people play characters ranging from early 20s to mid-50s.
“The action of this play takes place in a very immediate future,” Dr. Cabranes-Grant told the News-Press.
“Once the pandemic has started to recede, some residents of Yitipaka decide to meet and discuss possibilities for new economic initiatives to bring the town back to a good financial place,” said Dr. Cabranes-Grant, a professor of literature and performance in the Departments of Theater and Dance and Spanish and Portuguese. “They are all interested in how they can bring prosperity to the town.
“That quest for prosperity will also start to divide them again,” Dr. Cabranes-Grant said. “The play describes how these people who were very collaborative and were helping each other during the pandemic rediscover their divisions once they have to make decisions about the future of the town.
“The main issues are environmental issues vs. development issues and dealing with the loss and pain that was endured during COVID,” he said.
In “The Bones of Connection,” the community is considering a new housing project for people moving there from Los Angeles. The controversy is that people believe there was a cemetery for poor people in the land being considered for development.
“Do we want to respect those bones, move them to another place or deny they were there?” Dr. Cabranes-Grant said. “The bones of the cemetery are creating the conflict.
“At the same time, the bones of contention are a symbol for all the differences in opinion that keep dividing my characters from each other,” he said.
“Have we learned something during the pandemic about how to stay together even when we disagree with each other?” Dr. Cabranes-Grant asked. “Or are we going to go back to being more adversarial?”
The playwright and director said problems stem less from people having a difference in opinions and more in the challenges they face in communication. He said people wrestle with being comfortable with expressing their views or listening to those from others.
“What I hope theater can do is to remind us that we have to listen to each other and try to imagine ourselves in others’ positions before we pass judgment on them,” Dr. Cabranes-Grant said.
“Can we disagree and still be good neighbors to each other?” he asked. “That’s the real challenge for any society, especially a democracy where we all participate in the process.
“My opponent does not have to be my enemy.”
email: dmason@newspress.com
IF YOU GO
The UCSB Department of Theater and Dance will perform “The Bones of Contention” at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at UCSB Hatlen Theater.
Tickets cost $17 in advance and $19 on the day of the show for general admission and $13 in advance and $15 on the day of the show for UCSB students, faculty, staff, alumni, seniors and children.
To purchase tickets or check on COVID-19 protocols, see theaterdance.ucsb.edu or call the box office at 805-893-2064.
