Ernestine Ashworth’s life flashes by in an instant.

Moments turn into years, which turn into her whole life — all within the confines of her kitchen. 

Set in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Noah Haidle’s contemplative “Birthday Candles” follows characters seeking their purpose in the universe throughout the ever-changing sea of life, as seen through vignettes of one woman’s birthdays from 17 to 102.

In her Wichita Community Theatre directing debut, Angela Forrest delivers a poignant and humble show. The tone is realistic, and all the components — the set, lighting, costuming, and actors — play into a heartfelt production. “Birthday Candles” will be on stage through March 22. 

Michele Janssens is Ernestine, a reflective and excitable character desperately seeking time to slow down. The show begins on her 17th birthday, when she contemplates her “rightful place in the cosmos.” Ernestine’s mother, played by Ashley McCracken, calms and affirms her daughter, guiding her to focus on the consistent parts of her life, helping make her birthday cake and taking her measurements on the wall — shoes off, of course. 

Then, whoosh, lights flicker, birthday candles are blown out, and it's her 18th birthday. Her mother is gone. Now she has to figure out life on her own and carry on the family tradition. But life goes on, like a flash.

On Ernestine’s 18th birthday, we meet her main love interests: Kenneth (Joshua Rosenberg) and Matt (Nathan Betzen). Though he is delightful, Kenneth’s infatuation is a little obsessive. He comes in uninvited, almost always with a gift. 

His first gift is a goldfish, Atman, that becomes a stable, unchanging character in Ernestine's life. As Ernestine moves through life, she replaces Atman, adding a number to his name each time. In contrast to Ernestine, constantly worrying about the future, Atman, with his notoriously short memory, is incapable of worry and serves as a foil for Janssens’ character.

Matt is the opposite of Kenneth: chill, unassuming, and passive. Although both ask her to the prom, Matt eventually won Ernestine’s bid for the dance. They later marry and start a family.  

Haidle’s script often repackages character traits, behaviors, and phrases throughout the characters, reflecting the immersion and repetition that often happens in life. A mighty team of six actors tackles a combined 12 roles, Janssens and Rosenberg playing individual ones and the others playing members of different generations in the family. The actors — notably McCracken, Hanson Long, and Miranda Windholz — are masterful at balancing the shifts between characters.

As Ernestine, Janssens’ characterization is impressive. Without ever leaving the stage, she makes the shift between years feel like nothing, creating seamless transitions between the light and sound cues to play Ernestine in different stages of her life. She never hesitates, bouncing through Ernestine’s emotions, posture, and desires at different times in her life.

There were a few opening weekend flubs, e.g. sound cues not matching with lights during the shifts in time. The suspension of disbelief, especially towards the beginning of the play, could be broken ‌because of the age discrepancies between the actors and their characters. But these bring a distinct charm as you follow the characters’ growth. On the other end of the life spectrum, the actors portrayed aging convincingly.

The script is technical, demanding that actors not only interact casually with their co-stars but recite dense monologues of abridged Shakespeare or discuss the meaning of life and the universe. During some poignant monologues, Rosenberg had some minor fumbles, but he quickly recovered.

Along with characterization, costuming and set additions add visual cues for the audience. Ernestine gains a growing number of accessories and additions around her kitchen that show the passage of time. 

The kitchen set is nostalgic and familiar, with a mix of saturated warm tones and rich wood. It feels like a classic American family kitchen — a single window, a white fridge splayed with photos, and, of course, the island counter where the birthday cake is made. 

The costuming is subtle, with everyday clothes. With only six actors, clothing is often the clue to the audience about which character is which, especially with McCracken and Windholz playing three separate characters. 

Ernestine wears a simple dress, fitted with a red turtleneck and red tights, showcasing her fiery and passionate nature. On her 18th birthday, she begins to wear her mother's apron. 

In “Birthday Candles,” Ernestine’s cycle of life repeats, though the people in her life change. Over more than 80 years, she bakes her birthday cake. Each vignette follows a similar pattern, with subtle changes throughout time. A butter cake made every year. A goldfish replaced. A party with family. A question deep inside: Am I doing the right thing?

Everyone, even if they don’t know it, is searching for their place in the universe, but “Birthday Candles” shows that sometimes it’s right in front of you, even as life flashes by. Wichita Community Theatre's production demonstrates that time goes on — and that even through loss and grief, life is meaningful.

The Details

Wichita Community Theatre presents "Birthday Candles"
March 19-22 at Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain St. in Wichita

Curtain times are 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sundays.

General admission tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for seniors, students, and active members of the military. All tickets are $16 for Thursday performances. Accessible seating is available.

Learn more and purchase or reserve tickets online.

Taliyah Winn is a senior studying political science and journalism at Wichita State, where she serves as the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper The Sunflower, leading a team of more than 40 student journalists to cover news for the WSU community. 

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