Renaissance Theaterworks runs 'Great White Throne' through Nov. 8

Cara Johnston's play 'Great White Throne' runs at Renaissance Theaterworks in Milwaukee until November 8. The production presents a two-woman drama set in the Southern Bible Belt, focusing on the lives of two women whose identities are defined by their husbands. The show plays Wednesdays through Sundays, and tickets are available online at rtwmke.org or by phone.

The cast includes Libby Amato as the Pastor's Wife and Marcella Kearns as the Deacon's Wife. This production is a collaboration with World Premier Wisconsin. The play originally developed at the Br!NK New Play Festival in 2025. Many of the artists involved in that initial development returned for the current run. Their familiarity with the material is evident in the handling of the story, which the source notes is treated with care and humor.

The production design uses costume to distinguish the two characters. Kearns wears a floral dress, a soft cardigan, and sensible flats. Her hair is described as slightly askew. Amato stands ramrod straight in a smooth pink dress, a pink blazer, and pink heels. The audience learns later in the play that the Pastor's Wife hates the color pink, despite her bathroom being decorated in it.

A clock hangs on one of the pink walls in the set. The production uses time literally, with the stage action lasting the same amount of time as the audience's experience in the theater. Occasional sound cues mimic a ticking clock. This device emphasizes the passage of time, a central element of the story. The source notes that neither the audience nor the characters are allowed to forget how quickly time moves.

Kearns plays the Deacon's Wife as a boisterous and joyful mother. Her character is described as slow to anger and rich in kindness. For the first 15 minutes of the play, her main goal appears to be frustrating the other woman. Her charm is noted as inviting to the audience. Amato plays the Pastor's Wife as a woman of pent-up anxiety, rage, and grief. Her internal struggle materializes on stage, leading to a final outburst.

The source compares Amato's character to a Virginia Woolf figure. The final moments of the play depict an explosion from a woman who has been stripped of her dynamite. The dialogue explores the relationships the women have with each other and with God. The play asks the audience to remain open-minded about religious identity, showing that there is no single way to approach faith.

The show is a worthy watch for its performances and the conversations it sparks. The two women bicker, confess, and reach out to each other in the pink bathroom. The reality of religious identity is presented as complex, with no one type or approach to faith. The production ends on a note that suggests the Pastor's Wife may find her own dynamite again.