Tony K. Nam and Dina Soltan. Photo by DJ Corey Photography.
Nick Payne’s “Constellations” opens with Cambridge cosmologist Marianne pitching an endearingly bizarre pickup line at a series of men. But we soon learn that these are not different men but the same one, beekeeper Roland, in different timelines.
…this production soars, delivering a deeply emotional and intellectually stimulating journey…dazzling and innovative…
The two-hander follows their relationship—or, more accurately, relationships—across the multiverse. In some timelines, they spend their lives together. In others, they meet cute and find each other again years later. In a few, they can’t stand one another and are happy to never see each other again.
It might seem a bit on the nose for Constellation Theatre Company to mount a play called “Constellations,” but it is an ideal fit for the company, which has a history of excellent and intimate stories about relationships that raise larger themes of our place in the cosmos. Under the skilled direction of Nikki Mirza, this production soars, delivering a deeply emotional and intellectually stimulating journey.
Payne presents the story in a series of vignettes that shift either slightly or radically in each parallel universe. In many of these, the dialogue repeats verbatim, or is altered by just a word or two. This conceit can be a bit repetitive, but it also gives Tony K. Nam as Roland and Dina Soltan as Marianne great room to shine. These repeat scenes work because of the differences in inflection and body language that the actors skillfully bring. Soltan displays intellectual curiosity and emotional vulnerability, while Nam provides grounded charm. Marianne’s world is rooted in the stars, while Roland’s is connected to the earth—both in their vocations and in their attitudes.
As is common with Constellation productions, the set is a character itself. Designer Sarah Reed has transformed the Source Theatre into a dreamlike expanse that complements the play’s themes. The show is in the round, and speckled netting, evocative of distant galaxies, encircles the audience, immersing it in an ethereal universe where time and space seem fluid. Angular white window panes— sometimes empty, sometimes filled with glowing plexiglass—enhance the sensation of shifting realities.
Lighting designer Alberto Segarra works in harmony with the set, using washes of color and subtle shifts in brightness to signal each transition between realities. The interplay of light and shadow underscores the emotional beats of the play, subtly guiding the audience through moments of joy, heartbreak, and profound introspection. Sound designer Ian Vespermann adds another layer of artistry, using delicate sound cues to mark shifts between realities. The combination of lighting, sound, and set design results in a truly transportive theatrical experience, making the abstract concepts of quantum physics and alternate realities tangible and immediate.
There is a potential tragedy attached to this brilliance. I have seen many Constellation productions and they have all used the Source Theatre black box in astoundingly creative ways. It is hard to imagine a Constellation show anywhere else. But CulturalDC, which owns Source, has put it up for sale, sparking concerns that this vital venue may be lost to commercial development. Source has long been a creative incubator, home to Constellation Theatre Company and many other performing arts organizations. Its potential closure would be a devastating blow to the region’s artistic community, and theatre artists have been organizing against any sale that would not maintain Source as a performance space.
“Constellations” is dazzling and innovative, a deeply personal exploration of love, loss, and the fleeting nature of time. It is also a prime example of the great work of Constellation Theatre Company and makes the case for its continued residence at the Source.
Running Time: One hour and 20 minutes with no intermission.
“Constellations” runs through March 9, 2025, at Constellation Theatre Company at Source, 1835 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009. For more information and to purchase tickets, please go online.
