One brave woman has created the only theater of its kind in America.  In the past five years, thirty-eight thousand curious patrons have experienced innovative, intimate,
 avant-garde theater in Jinx Davis’s home.
By Sharyn Alden 

 If you’re conditioned to think that powerful, provocative theater can be found in New York, and in minor contributions in Chicago and Los Angeles, it’s obvious you haven’t been to the Mode Theater in Waterloo, Wisconsin—population 2,800.

Surprisingly, Jinx Davis and her partner, Andy Pizer, do not advertise the theater’s productions.  They started out by inviting friends, and then slowly compiled a mailing list, now consisting of around 8,000 names, half of which reflect rural households.  But the Mode’s main drawing of power, from the patrons throughout the Midwest, is strictly from those who have attended, then enthusiastically told others of the unusual oasis in the midst of the cornfields.

For those who come, even that loyal core of patrons who don’t miss a performance, often seeing the same play over and over again, there is a feeling of personal discovery, of putting down first footprints.  Indeed, this is riveting theater, where gut-wrenching plays, performed in a stylized salon atmosphere, and serving as a home base for Jinx, Andy and their three sons, is the only place like it in the country. 

I was one of those who had heard about it from a friend.  This person had become so enthralled by the Mode’s seemingly mystical powers, I agreed to indulge her request to see what I’d been missing, by making the thirty minute drive east of Madison the next time the Mode put on a production.  (Productions usually run with the seasons, four sometimes five times a year.) 

“It’s hard to explain what is going on there,” this friend pointed out.  “expect to feel nourished like the theater has never nourished you before,” she continued.  “Talk about getting caught up in a performance!  This is where life and art are intermixed, and where explorations of how and why we treat each other the way we do, is at center stage.  You’ll see what I mean.  Be prepared for a hotbed of emotions to wash over you.  And then a release through new-found friends wanting to engage you in animated conversation.  As for Jinx herself, she is a master at feeding the soul.  Oh, and one more thing, Jinx and Andy have made the theater their home.  Literally.  Wait till you see it.” 

Talking Back to Real People 

I was skeptical.  Great theater in the cornfields?  Food for the soul?  I also knew that this live performance theater was also often home to controversial subject matter.  I had been alerted to the fact that the performance I was about to see, “Miss Jinx Teaches School,” an interactive play about an abusive teacher, fell into this category.

Back               Next