A few years ago, Theatre Unchained’s founder and artistic director Megan Jacobs was given a script for a play about abortion, but she wasn’t in the right mindset to read it at the time.
But then, in 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, ruling that there’s no federal constitutional right to abortion, and Jacobs needed an outlet. So she read, and re-read and cried at Rachel Bublitz’ script for “Funny, Like an Abortion.”
“Funny, Like an Abortion” by Rachel Bublitz
🗓️ Nov. 8-23
📍 The Blackbox at IF Theatre, 719 E. St Clair St.
🎭 Cast: Alicia Ana Hernandez Roulet, Rachel Kelso and the voice of Thomas Sebald
🎟️ $22
The play is the story of a woman that discovers she is pregnant. Because abortion is illegal, the woman throws a surprise abortion party with her friend to explore over 20 at-home abortion options.
Jacobs is no stranger to controversy — she was also in Fonseca Theatre Company’s production of “Abortion Road Trip” in 2023. She and Chris Saunders of American Lives Theatre — the theater company that did “What the Constitution Means to Me” about women’s protections under the Constitution — are co-producing and co-directing Bublitz’s script into a show running Nov. 8-23 at the Blackbox at IF Theatre (formerly known as IndyFringe). We talked to both of them.
Why this play and why now?
Megan Jacobs: I was one of the women who said, “There is no way that Roe v. Wade will get overturned.” I said it out loud. And obviously I was wrong. I needed something to do with this energy and the feelings I was having.
We know that this title is divisive, but the story is beautiful. It’s for everyone. It’s very unique in how it presents the facts and different situations in what might be a not-so-distant future.
Did you feel a personal connection to the story?
Jacobs: I’ve done egg donation twice for a family, so I have a unique connection to some of the other laws that are happening around this.
I was in a medical study about birth control. I was taking a medication and one of the side effects was that if I were to get pregnant, the chances of an ectopic pregnancy were very high. I asked my nursing staff, “Hey, if that happens, do I have to make an exit plan out of Indiana? The nurse at first said “I can’t imagine.”
And then I got a call from the lawyer, and they said that they could not guarantee how (Indiana’s abortion law) is going to be interpreted because the law is changing very fast and this is unprecedented. That scared the crap out of me.
And I’m in a place of privilege. I’m happily married, I’m blessed to have a home and support system. I very much want to have kids someday. But I can’t imagine having that decision made for me.
What makes this show unique?
Saunders: Within the first few minutes, it breaks the fourth wall. It addresses the audience, and then it goes back into a traditional narrative play. It goes back and forth. There are moments where the actors’ lives bleed into what you’re seeing on stage. It will vary each night.
Jacobs: The title makes it seem like it could just be this crazy and ridiculous show, but it’s so responsible to the realities and the facts, so responsible to the experiences of women. We’re going to explore medical procedures and how to abort a fetus, and then, spoiler alert, they’re all terrible options that cannot be done at home.
There is no room for misconception. Dark comedy is hard, and this play is pretty masterful in how it approaches it.
Who is your intended audience?
Saunders: I truly think the play was written for everyone, including people who feel differently about abortion than the writer does. It’s absolutely written for people who are knee deep and in the thick of it, and maybe are experiencing weariness and need some camaraderie. It’s also written for people who’ve been outside of this issue.
Jacobs: The biggest challenge of this play as far as marketing goes is that this play is designed for everybody. We need to have difficult conversations. Even if we still end up on different sides, this isn’t something that we’re intending will change everyone’s mind.
What made American Lives Theatre collaborate with Theatre Unchained?
Saunders: Megan suggested that we work together, that we do it together. While the subject matter is provocative, the play itself is written in a very singular, unconventional way. It really echoes what it’s saying, which is: “We’re in a crisis situation, so in a crisis you have to behave differently.” That extends to how you structurally make theater.
I’m always cautious of trying to speak on behalf of someone, especially when it’s someone whose experiences I haven’t shared or won’t share. But it is a situation that affects us all.
Are you anticipating any protestors at your shows?
Jacobs: If we do get a protest, I’d say, “I respect what you’re doing, that you’re advocating for your beliefs and I’d like to invite you in. You can come and just watch. I’d like to even discuss it with you privately after.”
This is meant for us to be able to talk about these two characters, Jade and Monroe, and know that Jade and Monroe are not real. We can use them as a tool to discuss this important issue.
A correction was made on Nov.6, 2024: A previous version of this story stated that the American Lives Theatre was behind “The Birth of the Pill” at PlayFest Indy.
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