REVIEW: "JERSEY VOICES 2010" AT CHATHAM COMMUNITY PLAYERS

Fifteen years ago, when a group of college students approached the folks at the Chatham Community Players, suggesting that some type of summer drama program be instituted, Jersey Voices was born. Over the years, the annual festival of one-act plays has produced some “winners”—although there is no prize—that have gone on to further production or publication, but one thing is for sure, the evening’s offerings are never boring, frequently astonishing and all that theater is supposed to be!

The 2010 edition of Jersey Voices is no different. The six plays (plus one dance playlet) revolve—coincidentally, according to producer Bob Denmark—around the weighty subjects of relationships, religion and introspection, sometimes addressed with humor, pathos and solemnity. But never without interest.

For me, the most successful of the six are Eleanor Descending a Staircase, Family History and The Station.

Eleanor Descending a Staircase by Ian August and directed by Jon De Angelis has as its nexus a print of the revolutionary modern painting by Dadaist Marcel Duchamp, Nude Descending a Staircase, a work considered so outrageous and offensive that it set off riots and much controversy. Looking at it today, one fails to see the cause of the fuss, but that’s not the case with the gallery/gift shop clerks who refuse to sell Eleanor (Stacey Petricha) a print of the painting for her husband’s birthday: it will look so good in their foyer! To purchase a print, Eleanor traipses from Washington, DC, to Philadelphia to Paris and finally to Afghanistan (where she can’t make a purchase because “there’s a war going on”)! Petricha is dogged in her pursuit of art (or, as a hilarious Christopher J. Perez as the various clerks calls it, “anti-art”). Perez adopts a variety of accents but never loses the supercilious attitude of someone “in the know.” Playwright August has a fine time riffing on the eternal question, what is art and what is not, much to our amusement and delight.

Family History by Amanda Mayer and directed by Arnold J. Buchiane addresses the concerns of the “sandwich generation,” those 40-somethings who must balance their relationships with their growing children with those of their aging, often ailing parents. In this play, Brian tries to connect with his author father Harold, who is suffering from what appears to be a pre-Alzheimer’s condition. Concerned that he will not be able to bring his current characters to fruition before he loses the ability to write, Harold has put off seeing his son and granddaughters for over six months, much to his son’s dismay. Brian wants his daughters to have a relationship with their grandpa so they’ll have wonderful memories of him when he’s gone. Paul Bettys as Brian and Jim Broderick as Harold (and Sally Ponzio as Rosalind—caregiver or second wife, it’s never made clear) get to speak Mayer’s natural and deeply affecting dialogue. The ending is satisfying yet sad and hopeful at the same time.

The Station by Evan Marshall and directed by Mark C. Phelan is a tale of stolen identity with a wry ending (which I won’t give away). Suffice it to say that the play revolves around a homeless drunk named Jimmy (Paul Bettys again) who meets an author named Tom (Brian Carroll) in a DC train station. The latter is en route to NYC to sign a contract for his debut novel (which he’s written after working as a longtime research assistant for a prolific and popular writer of thrillers). After Tom gives away too much information, Jimmy switches identities with his new friend, only to have the whole scheme blow up before his/our eyes. The ending is ironic and very funny, given that so many people seem to have an investment in Tom’s manuscript. Victoria Steele as Margery, Jennifer Chaky as Annie and Bob Brenniser as Raymond provide fine support.

The other four offerings are interesting if not as successful. A Priest Named Irving by Carmen Collins and directed by Maybelle Cowan-Lincoln was a bit too long; at three scenes felt longer than the 20-minute time requirement set by the festival. Father McNulty, assigned to a new parish, finds himself in a pickle: When the rectory housekeeper is hospitalized on the eve of the Bishop’s attendance at confirmation ceremonies, the two other priests convince Father Irving (yes, that’s his name) to ask his widowed mother if she will fill in. The only problem is that Sarah McNulty is Jewish and keeps a kosher kitchen to boot! What ensues when she appears is funny and poignant, as Collins addresses the plight of intermarried parents who expose their children to both faiths and are flummoxed when he/she chooses the one they did not want—in this case, Irving decided to become a priest, right after his Bar Mitzvah! Diane Gilch is terrific as Jewish mother Sarah, bustling around the kitchen and taking care of "the boys." Clinton L. Scott was equally as fine as Father Irving, sure of his path in life even if he knows it hurts his mother’s feeling. John Becker, Lou Cusano and Chaz Turner round out the ensemble.

Ashes to Ashes by Gary Shaffer and directed by Kate Schlesinger also has an ethnic theme, in this instance Italian-Americans. Sal di Giorgio (Frank Briamonte) approaches Yankee exec Baines (Tom Hodge) requesting that he be allowed to sprinkle the ashes of his late father ("the Yankees’ #1 fan") on the infield. To convince the recalcitrant Baines, Sal produces his widowed mama (Lauren Einzig), who isn’t all she seems to be (and I mean ALL). Much hilarity ensues as Sal’s real reason for making the request is revealed, but never fear, there’s one person in the Yankee organization who manages to kid the kidder! Einzig is a trip as Mama/Denise, Lou Cusano is a bewildered (and very much alive) Dad and John Becker does yeoman’s duty as Baines’ assistant Stella.

THE MOST powerful MAN by John Allison and directed by Joann Lopresti Scanlon addresses a crisis in faith experienced by Paul (David Hoffman), a Baptist who doesn’t believe in God but who has received, he believes, positive proof that "God is dead." He approaches Rabbi Stalberg (Debbie Bernstein) to find out to do with this information. What follows is a discourse on the nature of God, his existence, the reason he was “invented” by our ancestors and what Paul should do with this information. It’s not as dull as it sounds, this discussion, and the ending will leave you thinking. Hoffman and Bernstein are fine, and Dan Higgins does a good job as Jake, the graffiti artist working in the synagogue to atone for his crime and who serves as a quasi-narrator of the plot.

Last but not least, Desiree Caro’s dance play, Love Me Deadly, which she co-wrote with Anthony Rubolotta, directed and choreographed, tells the story of serial killer Charlie and the three women he murders. Dan Higgins is mesmerizing as Charlie, so supple and fluid that he should be on So You Think You Can Dance! Sarah Jes Austell is innocence personified as First Love, Nina Hudson is lovely as The Starlet, and Megan Ferrentinos’ Vixen was fierce.

The success of Jersey Voices can be summed up in remarks made during the talk-back by a 30-something young man obviously dragged there by his wife. This was the second play he’s ever seen (the first was when he was 10), but it won’t be the last, he said. Isn’t that what drama is for? Wow!

Jersey Voices : An Evening of One-act Plays by New Jersey Playwrights will be performed Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 PM through August 7 with one Thursday performance on August 5 at the Chatham Community Playhouse, 23 N. Passaic Avenue in Chatham. Tickets are $15 for adults (19 and older) and $10 for youth (18 and under) and may be purchased online via TicketLeap service. For more information, call the box office at 973.635.7363. It is highly recommended that tickets be purchased in advance. Patrons with special needs requiring seating accommodations should contact the Playhouse at least 24 hours prior to the performance. Without prior notice, accommodations cannot be guaranteed.

Make it an evening: Chatham has many lovely and affordable restaurants within walking distance of the theater!