Greenhouse Theater Center presents SQUEEZE MY CANS Review: The Bravery of Storytelling

Greenhouse Theater Center presents SQUEEZE MY CANS

Directed by Shirley Anderson and written and performed by Cathy Schenkelberg, the artist returns to Greenhouse Theater Center with her one-woman show SQUEEZE MY CANS, which premiered in the space as part of their Solo Celebration! Series last July. Over the course of this 80-minute production, Schenkelberg shares her journey with the Church of Scientology, taking the audience on a wild ride of memories. These memories would often begin in the interrogation room with the Church, as Schenkelberg answered questions about past experiences, as well as various moments in Schenkelberg’s life. As she relived the moments for the Church, she would play out the story for the audience as well.

As Artistic Director Jacob Harvey explains, "Cathy manages to turn her nearly 20-year experience with America's most prominent alien religion into a fearless, hilarious and heartbreaking performance. We are proud to have her back as she continues to tell her story of survival and the power of perseverance."

Setting the Stage

Schenkelberg immediately starts her performance with a high level of energy and suspense. Upon entering the theater, she starts to inspect the area, looking for any listening devices that could allow our conversations to be heard by unwanted parties. As she runs about the space, she warns the audience to turn off all cell phones, as these parties could easily tap into those channels as an alternate avenue.

This introduction sets us up for what we are about to see in a variety of ways. First, the fast-paced speed of Schenkelberg’s warnings and movements certainly matches the pace of the rest of the performance. Second, while the warnings are humorous, they are also valid. Schenkelberg is about to share an uncensored story of her experiences with the Church of Scientology, and no amount of preliminary research could have prepared me for what I was about to witness.

The Design

Helmed by Anderson, the design team utilized the small upstairs space at the Greenhouse in a creative manner. While the space was bare, the team was able to help Schenkelberg build her story through lighting and sound elements.

The stage itself consisted of a chair, a stool, and a large screen at the back of the stage, which was used for projections. As Schenkelberg recalled a memory, key elements would come up on the screen, such as a lake to represent a past fishing trip with her father, or a scene from Italy to represent an encounter with a former lover. As her memories jumped across time, I found the projections helped draw me into the moment, keeping me along with her for the ride.

Lighting Designer Brandon Baruch played a big role in aiding in this convention of jumping through time. While the space itself was bare, Baruch used focused and dimmer lighting to help create the illusion of an interrogation room, and then would aid Schenkelberg in building the environments of her memories. At certain points when Schenkelberg’s memory would run wild with a series of events, Baruch was even able to throw a burst of color into the mix, thus pushing that chaos over the top.