by Dan Mayer
Steven Carl McCasland is a writer on a mission. As his bio puts it, he is “dedicated to telling the stories of remarkable women and their contributions throughout history.” Circle Theatre Players‘ production of his play Little Wars presents a rare treat, a chance to see an all-woman cast portraying famed 20th-century writers at the kind of dinner party most authors dream of attending.
McCasland’s script is razor-sharp, discussing historical events and the real personal struggles of these charismatic women in the 1940s, in order to talk about similar world events and (unfortunately) very similar issues facing women today. Dramatic irony is wielded like a weapon to slay the audience with, and it cuts deeply in both the light humorous moments and the heavy emotional ones. This is also the kind of script an actor adores, because it gives every member of the cast opportunities to play off of each other in entertaining ways, as well as each having their moments in the spotlight. The dialogue feels a bit too modern at times but otherwise seems very natural, even when Gertrude Stein lapses into speaking in verse, which comes across as a normal affectation for the inebriated eccentric.
McCasland also takes a playful stab at critics, having the famed writers refer to critique as “the easiest” pursuit, and “such a waste” of time. Nevertheless, we continue.
The Circle Theatre Players’ production of “Little Wars” by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Photo: John McEnerny of jrMac Designs. 
The Circle Theatre Players’ production of “Little Wars” by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Photo: John McEnerny of jrMac Designs. 
The Circle Theatre Players’ production of “Little Wars” by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Photo: John McEnerny of jrMac Designs. 
The Circle Theatre Players’ production of “Little Wars” by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Photo: John McEnerny of jrMac Designs. 
The Circle Theatre Players’ production of “Little Wars” by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Photo: John McEnerny of jrMac Designs. 
The Circle Theatre Players’ production of “Little Wars” by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Photo: John McEnerny of jrMac Designs. 
The Circle Theatre Players’ production of “Little Wars” by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Photo: John McEnerny of jrMac Designs. 
The Circle Theatre Players’ production of “Little Wars” by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Photo: John McEnerny of jrMac Designs. 
The Circle Theatre Players’ production of “Little Wars” by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Photo: John McEnerny of jrMac Designs. 
Set designed by by Charlie Kavanaugh and Bob Dawes for the Circle Theatre Players’ production of “Little Wars” by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Photo: Chris Foster. 
This entire cast absolutely light up the stage. Robin Leary as Gertrude Stein dominates proceedings with a boastful swagger, sarcastic edge, and line deliveries so syrupy that you can practically smell the alcohol on her breath. It’s endlessly entertaining to watch her butt heads with Tanya Gorlow as Lillian Hellman, who manages at different moments to be bitterly cold and surprisingly heartwarming, like a close family member you can’t seem to get along with but still love just the same. Debra Burger as Alice B. Toklas has a sense of humility and sweetness that perfectly complements Leary’s bitter eccentricity, and she tackles one of the most tender, emotional moments in the show with tremendous grace.
Amy Hausknecht is pitch-perfect as Agatha Christie, and looks like she’s having a blast bringing the famed mystery author to life. The same can be said of Dianne DeSantis, whose portrayal of Dorothy Parker is absolutely charming, even when she takes a more serious tone to discuss certain difficult subjects.
Jen Madison and Brooke Hutchins have their work cut out for them, trying not to have their characters be overshadowed by all of these big names and big personalities, but the script gives them a lot to work with and they handle it brilliantly. Madison fully sells Mary/Muriel as a woman with a lot of passion and courage, even as she has to hide who she is most of the time. Hutchins deliberately portrays Bernadette as very mousy, even comically so at times, to the point that it’s easy to miss her entering and exiting the stage. Even so, there’s a ferocity to the character that Hutchins pulls off admirably when she’s thrown into the spotlight towards the end.
Those last few big moments surrounding Bernadette are the hardest to watch. There is a clear subtext from the start that the horrors of World War II are happening just outside the walls of this quaint French home, but once a certain news broadcast comes on the radio, it becomes clear those horrors will not be staying outside. Things end on a hopeful note with Bernadette’s epilogue, but the parallels with current events make the whole show carry major emotional weight. McCasland doesn’t come right out and tell the audience to donate to causes defending women’s reproductive rights, or that America should be doing more to combat human rights abuses happening right now beyond our shores, but the implication is there.
In a word, this production of Little Wars is a triumph. It’s a rare treat to see this much talent all together on one stage, and the show is greatly entertaining, emotionally gripping, and very timely. There are only a few performances left at the time of writing, and they are not to be missed.
Circle Theater Players and Sand Lake Center for the Arts present Little Wars by Steven Carl McCasland, directed by Val Kavanaugh and Sue Frost, runs from April 12th-21st, 2024, at Sand Lake Center for the Arts, 2880 NY-43 in Averill Park, NY. Cast: Robin Leary as Gertrude Stein, Debra Burger as Alice B. Toklas, Tanya Gorlow as Lillian Hellman, Dianne DeSantis as Dorothy Parker, Amy Hausknecht as Agatha Christie, Brooke Hutchins as Bernadette, and Jen Madison as Mary Buttinger/Muriel Gardiner.
Stage Manager: Myrna Bernstein. Set Design by Charlie Kavanaugh and Bob Dawes. Setting dressing and props by Debbie Mazzone, directors, and cast. Lighting design by Laura Darling. Costume design by Lois Staugaitis. Sound design by Jim Holmes, Sue Frost, Robin Cleary, and John Staugaitis. Hair design by Stacy Schafer. Photography by John McEnerny of jrMac Designs.
Performance dates are Friday–Sunday, April 12-14 and 19-21. Friday and Saturday curtains are at 7:30 pm, and Sundays are matinees only at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $22, or $12 for students. Runs approximately 100 minutes with no intermission. Recommended for ages 18+ due to explicit language and adult themes. Tickets are available online. Visit https://www.slca-ctp.org/theatre for more information.