'She Was My Brother' succeeds on many levels

'"SHE WAS MY BROTHER," Plan-B Theatre Company, through Nov. 7, Rose Wagner (801-355-2787); running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (no intermission)

It is said that the best stories are true stories — or at least based on true stories. Such is the case with Plan-B Theatre Company's "She Was My Brother," which opened last week.

Fascinated with Native American cultures, playwright Julie Jensen uncovered an interesting tale about a figure named We'Wha, a person born as a man but who dressed as and did the work of a woman. The natives called such people "third gendered," and they had a high respect for their special skills and powers, often putting them in positions of prominence among the tribe.

The play is about the first white people, a man (Wilson) and a woman (Tullis) who study the Zuni. Though both researchers develop feelings for We'Wha, neither spoke of it when they returned to the East Coast. They lied about We'Wha (called Lamana in the play) or completely eliminated him from their writings.

"She Was My Brother" is a look at what MIGHT have happened — how Jensen sees it playing out.

Directed by Jerry Rapier, the intimate play succeeds on a couple of levels. The script and acting are solid.

When Joe Debevc (Lamana) walks on stage for the first time, I wondered how anyone could mistake this tall man for a woman. But Debevc's soft demeanor and gestures, his gentle voice and warm smile are a wonderful portrayal of channeling an inner female.

Plan-B favorite Jay Perry is very engaging as Wilson. His scrappy dedication to the tribe and the person he's come to love demonstrates a genuine sense of belonging for the first time in his life.

And April Fossen (Tullis) also offers a heartfelt performance, the scene with the two women weaving being a highlight.

I would have liked to have seen a little bit more as the early relationship builds between Lamana and Wilson. Wilson, a Victorian-era white man, must have had a wide mental gap to jump to develop feelings for Lamana, but the play doesn't explore that.

The only other glitch is the actors' volume during more intimate scenes; they tend to get a little too soft to fully hear what's being said.

Randy Rasmussen has created a lovely pueblo for the set, and Phillip R. Lowe's costumes are also a nice fit.