Betty Hart shines in ‘acts of faith’

Betty Hart. Pesha Rudnick. Helen R. Murray: All three women have brought theatre magic to the Aurora Fox space on East Colfax both literally and in spirit as part of the theatre’s 38^th season. When I saw it opening weekend, outside it was a cold and snowy January evening, but inside the Fox Studio Theatre was red hot.

The play in question is acts of faith by David Yee. It is a recollection of an incredible journey by a woman named Faith (Betty Hart). Set in Africa and Canada, Faith shares her story of mistaken identity. She is thought to be a prophet. Through exquisite storytelling, Faith shares her ultimate usefulness of mistaken identity and what she does to right the wrongs as she sees them. It is a beautifully scripted play with humor and highly charged questions – questions that we all grapple with such as good versus evil. The style of the play is at times understated and compact with writing that evokes intimacy between the actor and the audience. It feels like Faith is speaking directly to each audience member.

As Faith, Hart is a powerhouse. She is an award winner who acts, directs, serves as president of the Colorado Theatre Guild, and is a co-artistic leader of Boulder’s Local Theater Company. Her performance in acts of faith delivers a punch-in-the-gut while barely raising her voice. From the beginning, Hart is in total control, capturing the attention of the entire audience immediately and never releasing her grip. Simply put, her performance in acts of faith is one of the finest I’ve seen in some time.

Photo: Gail Bransteitter

Pesha Rudnick, the director, comes to the Aurora Fox with an impressive list of directing credits and as the founding artistic director of Local Theater Company. She has cast a spell over the production without being heavy-handed, providing Hart with a place to step forward and tell her story with simplicity, directness, and more than a dash of humor. There appears to be nothing short of a symbiotic collaboration between the director and the actor, and the depth of Rudnick’s directorial choices flows through the entire production.

Murray, the former executive producer of Aurora Fox, discovered acts of faith during the height of the pandemic while it was streaming online. According to the program, she convinced the playwright to bring a staged version of his play to the Fox. Murray had a vision of what the potential was for staging acts of faith and helped shepherd its premiere in Colorado.  Although she has since moved on from the Fox, Murray’s artistic vision currently lives on in this production in the Fox Studio Theater.

Worth braving the harsh winter elements, acts of faith should not be missed. This production is an important work of art that delivers on all levels.

Congratulations to Beau Bisson who is now the Acting Executive Producer of the Aurora Fox. He is off to a tremendous start with this production of acts of faith.