Donald Trump, come watch this intelligent play about the U.S. Constitution at Soulpepper. You could learn a lesson or two

On paper, the Soulpepper and Nightwood Theatre co-production of “What the Constitution Means to Me” shouldn’t work. The subject of Heidi Schreck’s 90-minute play is, after all, the Constitution — a stuffy, old document that doesn’t necessarily scream “theatrical entertainment.”
What’s more, the Constitution in question here is (largely, but we’ll get back to that) the U.S. Constitution, an exceedingly stuffy and old document that also has little bearing on the lives of most audiences watching this Canadian premiere of this American play. 
I mean, c’mon. A play about the U.S. Constitution? Really? 
Yes, really. And it works surprisingly well. Because “What the Constitution Means to Me” is neither stuffy nor old, instead brimming with humour, vitality and contemporary resonance. Such an achievement is this unassuming work that it should be requisite viewing for all — including a certain politician south of the border, and perhaps some Canadian ones, too. 
Schreck’s three-person drama is ultimately a deeply personal and intelligent interrogation into why that historic document matters to her, and why it should matter to all of us. 
The autobiographical play sees Schreck (warmly portrayed by Amy Rutherford) recalling memories. Breaking the fourth wall, she explains how her mother would enter her, as a teen, into various constitutional debates at the local American Legion Hall. 
It was while preparing for these competitions that Schreck learned about her country’s foundational document. Not only was she required to memorize the Constitution, but she also needed to be able to analyze and reflect on each article and amendment, personally connecting them to her own life in front of an audience of elderly veterans. (Damien Atkins, exceptional as always, plays one of them, lobbing questions at the young contestant and keeping stern track of the time.)
The play begins with Rutherford’s Schreck recreating one of these debates on a beautifully detailed set (collectively designed and built by Soulpepper’s production and props staff) that depicts a quaint hall from the ‘80s — complete with wood panelling, carpeted floors and old banquet chairs. 
If this retelling, though, starts somewhat gingerly, “What the Constitution Means to Me” builds to reveal much more over the course of its one act, as Schreck sets aside those memories from her childhood, while prying open others, often unflinchingly raw and always incredibly vulnerable. 
She offers stories about domestic abuse in her family, an abortion she received in her early 20s and immigration These anecdotes all tie back to the Constitution, focusing primarily on two amendments: the Ninth, about how not all rights are detailed in the document, and the Fourteenth, which discusses rights of citizenship and equal protection. 
If it was during Schreck’s childhood when she came to learn about the Constitution, it was in her young adulthood when she came to truly understand it. 
Though it’s never didactic, there are still lessons to be learned from Schreck’s play, which makes a compelling case that the Constitution — old as it may be — is a living, breathing text. (Fundamentalists be damned, the playwright unabashedly argues.) Imperfect though the Constitution may be, Schreck suggests that it’s up to us all to continue moulding and shaping it. 
That Soulpepper and Nightwood Theatre, in association with Necessary Angel and Talk Is Free Theatre, managed to secure the rights to Schreck’s popular play is a significant achievement. And that this Canadian premiere is arriving now, during the week of a deeply consequential U.S. presidential election, adds even more weight to Schreck’s message.
There was always the possibility that “What the Constitution Means to Me” wouldn’t resonate with audiences north of the border. We often approach American politics with our distinct brand of Canadian smugness — a this-can’t-happen-over-here attitude. (I’m guilty of it.) 
But the genius of this production is that it doesn’t let us off the hook, with Schreck wisely adapting her play for a Canadian audience. When the show premiered on Broadway in 2019, where it was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, it ended with a live, onstage debate about the U.S. Constitution. 
In this Toronto production, Rutherford steps out of character and invites a real-life high schooler, Gabriella King, to debate the merits of our Canadian Constitution. The question under consideration: does the Charter of Rights and Freedoms serve us today, and should we abolish it or keep it?
For the first time since my Grade 10 civics class, this debate got me thinking, sincerely, about what our Canadian Constitution means to me — how it shapes my life and the lives of those around me. It was a deep reflection, prompted by this play, that all of us would benefit from. And it left me with one lingering thought: we should take nothing for granted.