I moved here from Seattle (hey, at least it’s not California!), and I still sometimes miss the intense tree coverage there. But it wasn’t always that way. I used to fear the ever-encroaching tree line, branches that swallowed any signs of life. In Sagittarius Ponderosa, playwright MJ Kaufman understands the deep shades of forest – how that darkness can threaten, but how it also promises protection from the elements. The PNW woods stand for both in the tale of Oregon native Archer returning to a place where he’s still called Angela, roots that hurt but maybe, just maybe, can heal as well. – Cat McCarrey
