Exceptionally strong acting from their two leads make up for a somewhat predictable and safe pyramid scheme story in Lauren Smerkanich‘s The Dignity Circle, now having its world premiere at Theatre of Note.

Judith is the perfect mark, an isolated homemaker who would do anything to feel the warm embrace of a community. Unable to resist an alluring pitch made by her magnetic realtor, Angela, Judith is roped into a Dignity Circle, a simple gift-giving pyramid scheme that promises empowerment to the women of Sacramento. But what will happen to Judith’s newly found confidence and newly forged relationships when the truth of the con is revealed?

What’s fascinating reviewing The Dignity Circle is that though the biggest issue with Lauren Smerkanich‘s writing is how safe it played with a pyramid scheme our main lead Angela (Sierra Marcks) utilizes on the women of Sacramento, the acting from her and especially from her co-lead Judith (Jenny Soo) elevate the predictable material considerably. I’ll get into the potential I could see in making the writing have more high stakes but for now, it plays in a safe zone with much of the play being dragged down by numerous long motivational speeches that Marcks has to deliver to her “circle” (and to the audience). One thing I can say for sure and that is that having the story set within an unclear pyramid scheme does not exactly make for exciting or even intriguing storytelling.

The creative team around the writing makes up for it though with a fascinating cardboard world created by scenic designer Amanda Knehans and a sure handed direction from Clara Aranovich in doing their best to make their scenes as interesting as they could. The supporting cast played their parts well but I need to single out Zipporah Shunise‘s vague set of characters that felt criminally underwritten unlike the delightfully cynical Kate C (played with great fervor by Sarah Lilly). Considering how every character felt like they were written with purpose, it becomes painfully obvious when one actor has the unenviable task of filling out the atmosphere. That being said, Shunise did wwell with what little she was given.

Jenny Soo carries the immense emotional challenge in performing a character who lives in an abusive relationship with her husband Scott (J.T. Melaragno) and Soo does this exceptionally well as her journey as Judith from being a terrified homemaker to an empowered zealot within the pyramid scheme circle is a fantastic process to see. Yet this journey also reveals how frustratingly limited the script is as by the time the pyramid scheme all falls apart due to one new member’s mother to finally point out the legality, Judith returns back to her life with her husband. It just feels oh so anticlimactic, which I imagine could be the point that not everyone get a satisfactory ending in real life.

Yet I would fight against that ending being the only route to take since considering that Angela makes a poignant remark that men often get away with criminal enterprises, I wanted the actual business she was conducting to be something far more tangible than a pyramid scheme. Especially with the Eyes Wide Shut-esque masks the members wear to conceal their identities, I imagined the organization was a group that went above and beyond to help their members and empowered them more than just listening to motivational speeches. And yes, it can lead to morally questionable decisions but rooted in taking back the power men often steal from women. Such as, let’s say, offing the abusive husband?

I did notice that Angela’s supportive husband character (Alexis DeLaRosa) is played by a global majority actor while Judith’s abusive husband is played by a white actor which definitely signifies a conscious effort from the production team to not portray global majority men as the abusers, especially when one of the protagonists is a global majority woman. It is something commendable and though such miniscule details may seem unnecessary to some, I highly believe that these are considerations that absolutely must be made when it comes to the casting process on how people are perceived, especially with underrepresented communities.

The Dignity Circle is a satisfactory play with compelling lead performances but it leaves much to be desired in giving the audience an actual true dilemma in whether or not we want to support the protagonist’s criminal enterprises. Performances began on February 14 and run every Friday, Saturday, and Monday at 8pm PST and Sunday 2pm PST through March 22. Mondays are pay-what-you-will. General admission tickets cost $30. Senior/student tickets cost $20. You can buy tickets here.