The Australian premiere of Renascence is a metaphysically autobiographical exploration of one of the greatest American poets of the twentieth century, Edna St Vincent Millay.
Directed by Katt Osborne and written by Dick Scanlon – with music from WAAPA alumni Carmel Dean – Renascence utilises Millay’s own words, transforming twentieth-century poetry into a vibrant twenty-first century musical. This production features a cast of 3rd year WAAPA students who excel in their respective roles, both on and off the stage.
Born in 1892, Edna St Vincent Millay grew up in Maine with two sisters, a remarkable mother, and an absent father. A poem she wrote as an adolescent (‘Renascence’) catapulted Millay to fame by virtue of the controversial fact that she did not win a poetry competition. Her legend only grew from there.
From love sonnets to ballads and political poetry, Millay became an important voice of the Jazz Age, who would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize.
Unconventional, defiant, and ahead of her time, Millay combined classical structure with contemporary themes, exploring themes of autonomy, freedom, female desire, and moral responsibility. Renascence shines a light on this provocative poet, whose candle undeniably burned at both ends.
This production focuses on the earliest years of Millay’s career, with emphasis on what happens when words won’t come out of the pen as much as what happens when they do. What can you say once you’re dead? Quite a lot, apparently.
Millay (Sarah Watson), who is referred to as Vincent throughout the play, begins her journey as the youngest of three daughters, embedded in the playful warmth of a financially precarious but emotionally supportive domestic life.
Vincent’s mother, Cora (Alice Williams), is fiercely independent and intelligent. Unusually for the early 1900s, she is divorced, works multiple jobs, and raises her daughters to have a deep appreciation for the arts, particularly music and literature.
Encouraged by her mother and sisters, Vincent writes ‘Renascence’, the poem that will catalyse major changes to her life’s trajectory. A public reading of ‘Renascence’ attracts the patronage of Caroline B. Dowe (Harry Ortuso) whose support opens doors for Vincent, enabling her to study at Vassar College.
At Vassar, Vincent’s celebrity precedes her, and she has no shortage of admirers. However, one particular young woman (Tabitha Kerlin) captures Vincent’s full attention, to the detriment of her studies. The intensity of their relationship threatens to derail other aspects of Vincent’s life, including her poetry. Heartbreak ensues.
After graduation, Vincent makes her mark on New York City through her provocative public image as much as her literary ability. She becomes a bohemian icon, whose radical opinions, unconventional affairs, and unrelenting ambition break the moulds imposed upon women of the era.
The character of Vincent (as distinct from the real-life Millay) is depicted as being sexually manipulative more than passionately hedonistic, which serves to underline the gendered double standard of moral judgment imposed upon those who refuse to fit conventional moulds.
The historical Millay’s intellectual ferocity and unwavering confidence are more acceptable for a woman in 2026 than it was in her own lifetime, but patriarchal double-standards continue to colour the lenses through which audiences interpret the moral value – and likeability – of morally ambiguous characters. Awareness of this fact is built into the narrative, as evidenced by the selective framing and focus.
This production does not impose judgment upon Vincent’s recklessness but contextualises her impulsivity as a side-effect of youth and brilliance, subtly emphasised by the casting of aged-down actors. Whether one perceives Vincent as ruthlessly selfish or unapologetically authentic is highly subjective and dependent on context.
The lines of ‘Renascence’ are as pivotal to the course of Vincent’s life as they are to the structure of the narrative, particularly if one imagines the three “lone mountains” to represent her mother and sisters, and the “wood” to symbolise Millay’s absent father in the context of the final song.
Carmel Dean’s music serves as the structure holding the show together, with jazzy elements paying homage to the setting and lived context of Millay’s life and times.
Dean’s ability to aurally convey humour, heart, and forward motion is one of the production’s greatest strengths, capitalising on moments of emotional intensity and leveraging Millay’s flawless meter. From an a capella tribute (to a deadbeat dad) to an epistolary duet featuring Vincent and a certain literary editor, Millay’s poetry lends itself beautifully to a musical format.
The stage comprises three areas, one of which contains the accomplished nonet who bring Dean’s compositions to life. Sparing set design centres around tables, chairs, and a swing. Minimalist props make subtle reference to elements of Millay’s life and poetry, for example, flowers, paper, lamps, and fire.
WAAPA’s versatile cast of six each play multiple roles. The gender-blind casting reflects Millay’s refusal to adhere to convention, in addition to showcasing the broad scope of the cast’s ability.
Sarah Watson’s captivating embodiment of Vincent leans into the strength and quirkiness inherent to the character, augmented further by the clarity and tone of her melodic execution.
Harry Ortuso shines in every role (insert graceful gesture here), particularly as Vincent’s sister Kathleen, and the fabulous fairy godmother of poetic academia, Caroline B. Dowe.
Vincent’s other sister, Norma, is played by Tabitha Kerlin, who is equally outstanding as Vincent’s main love interest. Kerlin does justice to two very different characters and their respective vocal performances, stealing the show in several scenes.
Luke Barker fills seemingly countless roles, with hilarious minor appearances as a doctor’s daughter and a Vasser girl, among others. His pantomimic delivery in certain moments is comically appropriate, never diminishing from the comparative seriousness of his portrayal of the Editor.
Alice Williams compassionately channels Cora Millay’s intellectual determination and self-sacrificial love, bringing balance to a tale that might otherwise read as being disproportionately self-centred. Perhaps this is intentional.
Hamish Stewart’s main role is that of Vincent’s father, who functions as a conduit for internal monologues, but is also a character in his own right. Whilst the inclusion of the father feels extraneous to both historical truth and narrative necessity, Stewart’s strong performance of ‘The Ballad of the Harp-Weaver’ makes the father’s inclusion worth the stage time dedicated to him.
The greens, whites, and earthy neutrals of the costumes are not of the era but exist outside the boundaries of time. Although the lack of historically accurate attire could be viewed as a wasted opportunity to augment both setting and characterisation, this understated approach works both tonally and aesthetically, as well as enabling fluid character changes for the cast.
At the risk of being slightly reductive, this play necessarily compresses Millay’s relationships and life events in order to tell (a portion of) Vincent’s story within the span of one musical. However, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and this inherent light-heartedness offsets any unjust reductivism.
Pre-existing knowledge of Millay’s life and poetry will enhance overall audience enjoyment, rather than diminishing it through perceived spoilers. Like a sonnet, this musical is an exploration of a question, as opposed to a concrete re-telling of facts.
Energetic, humorous, and vaguely metaphysical, Renascence resurrects both the poet and her poetry. Like Millay herself, this musical is unapologetic and larger-than-life.
Renascence is presented by the WAAPA 3rd year Musical Theatre students and runs to 1 April at Studio Underground, State Theatre Centre of WA. 174 – 176 William Street Perth WA 6000.
Tickets: https://boxoffice.waapa.ecu.edu.au/Events
Website: https://www.artsculturetrust.wa.gov.au/venues/state-theatre-centre-of-wa/whats-on/renascence/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/waapa.ecu/
Photo credits: Stephen Heath Photography
