It's a Philly Thing

Okay, so I’m not a stranger to plays about Benjamin Franklin.  I’ve actually been in one, and it was one of the best experiences of my life.  There are a lot of wonderful things about shows about Benjamin Franklin.  They’re all completely original.  They’re unique to Philly.  There’s history in them.  I could go on and on, because after being in a play centered around Benjamin Franklin, I have a major soft spot for anything related to Benjamin Franklin.  That was my initial draw to Franklin’s Key.  Getting to experience another Benjamin Franklin centered play (though in the audience, this time) was super exciting.

This wasn’t the only thing that was appealing to me about this play.  I was very intrigued by the description, and majorly excited to see a family friendly show.  I love family friendly shows, and I don’t get to see a lot of them.  I remember how important family friendly shows were to me as a child, both acting in them and seeing them.  I know that there are family friendly shows around the area, I just haven’t gotten to see many.  All the elements of Franklin’s Key combined made it sound like it was going to be an absolutely amazing piece.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a show done by Pig Iron, but I have been to the Plays and Players theatre, and it’s a lovely place.  It’s warm and cozy, and very intimate.  It was the perfect place to do a show like Franklin’s Key.  Setting the mood is so important, especially when you’re looking at a play like this.  Some shows need big theatres as their vehicle, and some shows don’t.  Franklin’s Key definitely didn’t, and it was perfect right where it was.

As with any good family friendly show, our protagonists were young people.  High schoolers, in this case.  We have Temple, a young girl who’s a scientific genius, and Arturo, a musical prodigy.  It was super cool to see them run the show.  They both delivered amazing messages to kids and adults alike.  They were independent and brave, and even when they’re scared and unsure, they do amazing things.  It was something I absolutely loved about this play.  You don’t see anyone back down from a challenge, no matter how scary and impossible the challenge seems.  Temple and Arturo live in a world where adults think they know what’s right…even if they don’t.

On that note, having a strong female lead was really inspiring.  I love the idea of young girls seeing this show and seeing a character like Temple.  Temple is a really amazing character.  She’s inspiring and smart and strong, and is a scientist.  She does so much that a lot of young girls are told they can’t do.  It was something I really loved about Franklin’s Key…Temple does a lot she’s told she can’t do.  She’s an outcast and a nerd (as is Arturo), but they’re special.  It delivers a message that is extremely important.

Something that complimented the acting and story so well were the cool effects we saw throughout the show.  There was a lot of playing around with light.  There were automatons that looked super cool.  There was a pipe organ!  The sound and lighting was phenomenal, and really helped to tell the story.  Obviously, you can’t have a story centered around Benjamin Franklin without that.  And they absolutely nailed it.  It made for a fantastic piece of art.

Anyone from Philly knows how important Benjamin Franklin is to our history.  He spent most of his life in Philadelphia, and is famous for it.  We all know him as a historical figure, in ways that many others wouldn’t.  Sure, everyone knows the story of the key and the kite, but not everyone can say they’re from Philly, where Benjamin Franklin came to prominence.  I do wonder if a play about him could really be done anywhere else.  It certainly wouldn’t have the importance if it was.  I was truly honored to watch Franklin’s Key as someone who grew up in Philly/the surrounding areas.  They really brought one of our most famous historical figures to life.

Franklin’s Key was fun and enjoyable to watch.  And I know it wasn’t just us in the audience.  It was clear that everyone on stage was having fun doing this show.  There are just ways to tell these things, and it was very obvious that every actor loved doing every second of that show.  As an audience member, this meant so much to me.  The play was engaging for the audience.  There was so much going on onstage that was just a joy to watch, and I really think it was enjoyed on all sides.  This is the type of show I would see again, just because I’m sure there’s a lot I didn’t catch the first time around.  And honestly, that’s my favorite kind of show.

My ensemble, when I did a show about Benjamin Franklin, B.Frank: A Call to Self Invention grew quite fond of a word that was often used in Franklin’s time for excitement and agreement…“Huzzah”!  And I think it’s extremely appropriate to use that word here, too.  Huzzah!