The Minutes

 The Minutes
Studio 54
May 28, 2022 

Photo courtesy of The Minutes

Playwright Tracy Letts is very well known for bold, direct, in-your-face storytelling, yet The Minutes tops them all.  He crafted characters that are real.  You know them.  You like them.  You laugh at them.  You are them.  Mr. Letts structures this work so you follow these characters on their pursuit, yearning for the truth, until you find it.  Once you do, there is no going back.  

It is the weekly Big Cherry City Council meeting, a closed session.  Mr. Peel (played by Noah Reid) missed the previous meeting to attend his mother’s funeral.  He is welcomed back by Mayor Superba (played by Tracy Letts), who offers his condolences.  Mr. Peel asks the other council members what he missed from the previous meeting, including inquiring about Mr. Carp, another city council member (played by Ian Barford), who is not in attendance.  Everyone avoids these questions.  When the meeting starts, it is noted that the minutes from the previous meeting have not been prepared.  Mr. Peel is the only one concerned about this.  He continually brings up the absence of Mr. Carp and the omission of the minutes, yet his queries are incessantly avoided.  When an issue on the table requires a reference to the previous meeting, the minutes, which the clerk, Ms. Johnson (played by Jessie Mueller), was directed not to copy or distribute, are forced to be read.  The truth about Mr. Carp’s sudden disappearance is revealed, leaving Mr. Peel to make a life changing decision. 

Tracy Letts & Noah Reid
Photo courtesy of The Minutes

Mr. Letts brilliantly asks the question, “What happened to Mr. Carp?” in the opening scene.  This
driving questions draws you into about sixty minutes of action where you meet the characters and find out about the not too enthralling business of the town of Big Cherry.  You are fully engaged.  Truly invested.  The pay off, when the questions is answered, is far beyond any expectation.  Mr. Letts then takes it even further, giving insight into who we are as a nation and why we allow ourselves to become indoctrinated into beliefs and disciplines beyond imagination. 

Photo courtesy of The Minutes

The cast works as one solid unit, with leaders and outliers clearly defined.  The names of the characters offers insight into Mr. Lett’s intention for each character, and each actor delivers that intent superbly.  Noah Reid is naive and optimistic as Mr. Peel, persistently digging for the answers.  Tracy Letts is stalwart and steady as Mayor Superba.  Jeff Still and Cliff Chamberlain are steadfast and stubborn as Mr. Assalone and Mr. Breeding.  Danny McCarthy and K. Todd Freeman engage in meaningless discourse as Mr. Hanratty and Mr. Blake.  Austin Pendleton and Sally Murphy distractingly deliver the laughs as Mr. Oldfield and Ms. Matz.  Blair Brown is along for the ride as Ms. Innes.  Jessie Mueller is no-nonsense as Ms. Johnson.  Ian Barford is determined and straightforward as Mr. Carp.  

If you see anything this season make it The Minutes.  There is a frightening level of truth in Mr. Lett’s depiction of this small town and the people who inhabit it. 

Domenick Danza