Is true change possible?  No, seriously, can someone who has been molded into one Class, with traits of one sub-Class—through hard work, determination, and passion, truly achieve a different level in life?  Is that just a Fairy Tail story told by the disenfranchised? The answer is no.  People can do amazing things.  Take for example the mother who lifts up a car to get her baby out from underneath, or how about the Savant that can play Mozart without ever taking a lesson?  People are amazing.  One fine example of that would be Julie Johnson.

Julie is a typical young urban New Jersey housewife and mother of two who lives in fear and humiliation of her never-seen husband.  Her best friend, and Partner in Crime is a married housewife too—but no children.  She looks like she’d have a “Tinkerbell” or some other form of carrying pet, but no kids.  It was hard to distinguish what part of the country the accent came from, I had my money on Staten Island, but turned out to be Northern Jersey.  The opening scene is startling and hysterical and heart wrenching all at the same time.  Julie, played by Kim Ehly, is seen rushing into her living room and with nowhere else to go, hides under the coffee table with a blanket over her.  There’s a lot of screaming, and some pandemonium, but it is clear that it is a mother and her young teenage daughters are frightened by the actions of their mother.  In walks in Claire, played by Julia Clearwood, who seems to be able to know her friend and calm her down, take charge of the situation, and by just going on instinct, and needless to say sitting on top of the coffee table goes, So Jules, how are things? 

After calming down, Julie is able to relinquish her stranglehold on her emotions and stop herself from hyperventilating.  What could the problem be?  Well, with the similar gravity of telling someone that they killed someone, she confesses to her confidant that she has a catalogue and wants to take a computer class.  See, to most of us, that would be fun, interesting, not really that much thought or major problem, but see, you are already reading this on a computer!  You have the advantage that she doesn’t have.  Imagine you dropped out of high school in the tenth grade, up and married your high school boyfriend, and started a family before the rest of your class even took their SATs?  What’s sad about the fact that she wants to take this class is that she deems herself unworthy, is scared shitless of her husband and of him finding out, and drools at the thought of learning.  What’s funny is that she does not want to do this alone, believes she can’t, and talks Claire into going with her.  The only glitch—Clair tells her husband that she’s over at Julie’s and they get caught. 

Sadness ensues when Julie’s husband abandons them.  It is never expressed exactly, for, once again, the lights are out and madness with screaming is going on, but the point is made—he is gone.  Julie is at first happy, proud of her convictions to continue with the class, and be the mother that she need to be to her kids Lisa (Magen Young) and Frankie (Lexy Gaeta).  However, with minutes, her bubble is burst wide open with thoughts of how they are going to survive.  She realizes she has to get a job, something she has never done before, and learns, through Trial and Error, what to say and what NOT to say on phone interviews.  Even getting a simple house-cleaning job is difficult, as you will see.

Before finishing the computer class, her teacher, Mr. Miranda (Steven A. Chambers) tells her that she is indeed smart, with proper guidance and educational assistance, she definitely has a good shot of taking her GED and then able to apply to Community College.  Julie is determined to do whatever it takes, and now with the added burden of solely supporting her entire family, has the determination of a bulldog.  Oh, did I forget to mention that Claire got into a fight with her husband and left him, only to move in with Julie and the family?  Well, now that Claire is there, she herself has obtained a waitressing job—first job ever, and therefore able to assist financially this tribe.

Well, as the story progresses, obstacles are achieved, and true feelings begin to emerge.  Lisa, who once scoffed at her mom and called her “Retahhhdid” (retarded) and wanted to go live with her father—wherever that may be, now believed in and did whatever to help out the family.  Maybe it was because of the fact that Claire was very similar to her that she helped mold her, but by the end of the play she was like glue for this unit.  Frankie, the younger, who originally wanted everything to work out later changes her tune and starts cracking the foundation they are all standing on.  Things change drastically with every character as the play progresses, and it is literally amazing to see the change and education can make on someone’s life.   

After spending so much time together, Julie and Claire start to realize that they have different feelings for each other that maybe were not realized earlier on in life.  How do you deal with Coming Out when you have:  no positive examples around you, no support from your community, and are still bound by the taboos instilled in you while in high school?  There is an amazing and intense “Bent”-esque scene where they are both on a park bench together, in a familiar area, and literally have verbal sex sitting right next to each other—yet never touch.  

As their personal lives unfold, we deal with such topics as:  jealousy, sneaking around, infidelity, and name-bashing.  All of these things are crucial to the story and intricate to the plot.  Life isn’t easy.  Growing up isn’t easy.  Doing it alone—isn’t easy.  But, as we learn from Julie—anything is possible.  What is funny, after seeing the movie is that Julie is introduced to us as a scared verbally abused uneducated housewife and ends up becoming a Woman—a person that is able to hold her head up high. 

Now, if you are very religious and are offended by the words, “Jesus Christ”—be forewarned.  Cursing is quite abundant but essential to the dialogue to understand the characters in the play—even the kids curse.  When I saw this play, there were about 50% Lesbian, 40% Gay men, and exactly six straight people—three couples.  I was so interested and enthralled by this play, acting, and the dialogue that I failed to notice the one couple by me making noises and being rude.  They were so rude in fact that there was almost a fight with the Power Lesbians on my other side.  I did not notice until the Intermission and then two of the couples never returned.  This is a definitely powerful play, topics are harsh and dialogue is critical—and everyone delivered their lines to the highest ability.  There are moments of sadness, hilarity, and crushing dialogue that takes your breath away.  What is interesting and intriguing at the same time is when they cut to the classroom and Mr. Miranda is in the middle of a philosophical or explanation and then turns out to be the next section of the play, foreshadowing the next scene.  Turbulence is unpredictable.  That’s nature.   

Every cast member played an amazing and convincing role and deserved a Standing Ovation.  I have met and talked with Kim (Julie Johnson) outside of the play and told me that it took a lot of work, but everything worked out in the end.  She wishes that the play could continue and will miss everyone when it is over.  The Director is an original Sol Theatre cast member, Daivd Tarryn-Grae who played in the first play I saw at Sol—The Mystery of Irma Vep and did a wonderful job creating the atmosphere necessary to believe the characters.  After watching this play, you will see Kim/Julie Johnson out and scratch your head for a moment—how much was acting?  I can tell you—all.