ARTS: “Men on Boats” Recasts American History (Literally!)

“We are all shaped by the society we live in. When I was growing up, I imagined white women as nurses, men as doctors, and explorers of the United States as white men.” That’s what Joy Dolo writes in her director’s notes for Men on Boats from Ten Thousand Things Theatre (TTT). The play re-imagines the real-life 1869 Green and Colorado River expedition of John Wesley Powell and his crew, but stars a gender-expansive and racially diverse cast. 

The palpable group chemistry of this cast is a highlight in a two-hour run full of sharp one-liners, physical comedy, and poignant moments. But Men on Boats also examines themes with deep resonance: the ugly tensions that can boil over when very different people must rely on one another, the entitlement of “government-sanctioned” actors to name and claim places that are already someone’s home, and how incompetence paired with arrogance and power can be lethal. 

Re-casting the men in Men on Boats with performers more reflective of our current United States communities is empowering — but the positivity is complicated when we see history shaped by violence and oppression. 

 

 

Men on Boats’ protagonists are driven by manifest destiny, active participants in the criminal enterprise that robbed Indigenous North Americans of their homes, freedom, and lives. In a reflection guide in the play program, playwright Jaclyn Backhaus wondered if she painted her characters too kindly — the Men on Boats come across as deeply flawed but most often entertaining, empathetic, and even admirable, despite the harm they perpetuated. The reflection guide goes on to ask audience members to consider if it is possible to “admire people as individuals [even] if we don’t admire their mission?” 

Backhaus also shared her hope that Men 0n Boats serves as a door to more questioning and learning. I’d say it does. Men in Boats leaves you with more questions than answers, in a good way. It’s a play that simultaneously amuses and challenges the audience, capturing American history and Americans at both our very best and our very worst.  

I was able to ask some of my lingering questions to two production participants: director Joy Dolo and performer Maureen Sherman-Mendez. Among other things, we discussed what it was like rehearsing and presenting the play during January and February 2026, the heart of the ICE occupation of our state. 

 

What drew you to this production? 

Joy: When I first read the play, I thought it was so laugh-out-loud funny. I also saw an interview with the playwright where she talked about how she never got to be the hero or in a heroic story with sword fights and swashbuckling, because those stories are for men — so she wrote one herself! I resonated with that. It made me want to bring it to life. 

I’m proud of bringing together so many different people to tell this story. This is an incredible group of smart, hilarious, passionate people. I’m so proud of us. 

Maureen: I jumped at this chance to be in my first TTT play. I remember the first day we did a read-through together. I looked around and thought, this is a room of incredible people, everyone bringing very specific gifts and backgrounds. A lot of times actors *in certain bodies* especially actors who are not cisgender men, are only allowed to play a small set of roles. So, to break that mold together, and uplift each other, was something I’m really proud of. 

 

What was it like rehearsing and bringing this play to life in the context of the ICE occupation of Minnesota? 

Joy: We rehearsed in January, in Minneapolis, and it was a really tough time. Even at the place we were rehearsing in, there were ICE agents that kept trying to park there. We had to walk some community members to-and-from their cars for safety. TTT was great at accommodating what we needed. But it’s hard to shut off the world when it’s so close. So, we’d take time during rehearsal to talk with each other about what was happening in our communities. And when we were able to take some time to process, the humor and the energy of the play itself really resonated. We had a lot of fun, and we also cried a lot, all the emotions of a rehearsal room. 

I’ve always thought that comedy is a kind of resilience, being able to maintain joy and laughter. Being able to be in-community is really important too. So, I think we felt it was a gift to be able to make this play and then go out into the world and share it. 

Maureen: Even logistically, our brains were so overwhelmed during rehearsal time. I’m usually quick with memorizing and retaining lines, but it was suddenly so much harder — harder than it’s ever been for me. We were all processing so much. But it also felt helpful to have this tangible piece of work, and to be able to focus on doing well on that. 

I think with TTT and its unique mission, there’s a recognition that what we do here matters, but let’s also not put pompous importance on it either. We’re making a play —but it might also save someone’s life if we do it well, you know? There’s a line in the show from Karen [Wiese-Thompson]’s character that goes “we save each other.” And I truly believe that. We save each other through big acts of love and we save each other through small considerations. And I think the whole show is grounded in that mindset. 

 

What do you hope audiences take away from the play? 

Joy: I’m hoping folks realize that history is in the eye of the storyteller. And that everyone belongs in every role and that you can tell these kinds of stories with diverse casts. This is interesting history that we’re exploring. I hope people walk away curious about our history, and about all the folks in our nation. 

Maureen:  I try to go into every performance with the attitude of “how can I best serve this audience today?” Some audiences need more physical cues. Some audiences need an escape — they need to exercise their imaginations as much as possible so they can feel limitless for a bit. How can I support that?

And, of course, I want to make them laugh. I want people to walk away feeling lighter. But I also want to challenge them and give them something they’ll be thinking about tomorrow, in a month, in a year. This language is more commonly used in religion, but I think about it as offering a benediction for people to leave with: how has our time together shaped you and how will you move differently in the world now? 

I think that when theater is really working on all cylinders, you do leave changed. You see people a little bit differently, or you’re challenged by an idea. Maybe you thought that this thing or person belonged ‘here,’ and now you can see that we belong everywhere. 

 

If you go…

TTT stages all productions in the round, with minimal props, and with lights on for accessibility and mobility. Half the performances are in front of paying audiences in “traditional” venues. The other half are free, traveling performances. Men on Boats will be performed at Ramsey County Correctional Facility, Harmony Adult Learning, Central Senior High School, Mayo Clinic, and Touchstone Mental Health, among others.  

Men 0n Boats runs through March 15. Learn more about this and other TTT productions at tenthousandthings.org.