The Raw, Honest and Funny She The People is Currently Running at The Lyceum Stage Until December 5

A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardashti

She The People. Photo by Tim Schmidt

In these times, a good comedy show is always welcomed. Even better when it is created and performed by women, giving audiences a breather from the usual (however changing) male-dominated stand-up and exercising some diversity.

Part of The Second City troupe based in Chicago is gracing California's finest with She The People, a show that has had many lives throughout the years and has been adapted to fit the times by wonderful women like Carisa Barreca, Marla Caceres, Katie Caussin, Carly Heffernan, Tien Tran, Lauren Walker and the different Casts of The Second City. For the San Diego engagement, the cast includes Lexi Alioto, Kennedy Baldwin, Katie Caussin, Kazi Jones, Yazmin Ramos, Laurel Zoff Pelton, performing until Sunday, December 5th at the Lyceum Stage in downtown next to the deceased Horton Plaza.

The show is comprised of different sketches that range from one cast member to all six onstage, touching upon different topics like relationships, gun violence, how women are depicted in TV commercials, dating, and many more. There is also interaction with the audience as they ask for different words or phrases in order to feed a bit. All the cast members are fabulous showing different stage skills like belting out a note for over a minute, rapping, and dancing. Of course, the landing of the jokes and sketches varies depending on the audience and that too depends on the day and time, which is also very interesting because it shows the pulse of the town a little bit. The way people engage with an art form/expression is -always- a strong indicator. The performance I attended was a Sunday matinee therefore, audiences were more on the older, White side, and since many of the jokes accurately presented, were about racism and White privilege, well...some of them did not go too well aside from the usual sleeping suspects in the first rows.

Without spoilers, two of my favorite sketches were about how women are depicted in TV commercials and one with a board game that was called Privilege, zooming in on the very different ways people are treated depending on their skin color and their sexual preference. She The People is bold and raw, a show that really is for everybody but not everybody will feel like it is and that, is where the self-reflection comes in or should come at least. Another quality is the diversity amongst the cast members, with all ages, sizes, colors, and a live pianist for that added special touch.

She The People. Photo by Tim Schmidt

This is the perfect girl's night out, friends night out, cousins/siblings night out. Audience members will not only appreciate good comedy but a mean stage training and improv ability.

Each performance would not be possible without the artistic team comprised by the Associate Director/Choreographer Carisa Barreca, Sound Designer/Music Director Elise Wattman, Stage Manager William Collins, Production Manager Joseph Ruffner, Creative Director Anneliese Toft, VP, Production Elizabeth Howard and the Executive Producer Jon Carr.

She The People will have performances until Sunday, December 5. Tickets range from $25 to $91 dollars and can be purchased by calling 619-544-1000 (12pm-6pm daily), or online at sdrep.org.

Active-duty military, teachers, group, and senior discounts are available. Student tickets are available

for all performances. Prices are subject to change.

Listen to our latest podcast episode where we talk to two wonderful cast members of She The People with The Second City HERE