Bobbie Clearly
Roundabout Theatre Company
Roundabout Underground
Black Box Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg
Center for Theatre
April 28, 2018
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| Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company |
Playwright
Alex Lubischer makes powerful and poignant statements about compassion and
forgiveness in his play Bobby Clearly,
then presents you with the harsh reality that taking those actions do not make
your experiences any less overwhelming. His play is structured in such a way that the audience is constantly
questioning and wanting to know more.
His characters are well developed and grow over the ten year span of the
play’s events. Director Will Davis finds
every intimate moment for this amazing cast to connect truthfully to one
another and the audience. The staging
choices are perfect, allowing every person in the black box theatre to be a
part of the emotional journey of the characters.
In
2006 a tragic event occurred that changed the lives of the people of Milton,
Nebraska. Teenager Bobby Clearly (played
by Ethan Dubin) brutally murdered Casey Welch in a cornfield. Officer Darla London (played by Constance
Shulman) recounts her connection to Bobby as a young boy and the events leading
up to the tragic night. Casey’s mother,
Jane Welch (played by Crystal Finn) decides to present a talent show in her
daughter’s memory, which over the years becomes a fundraiser in support of a
not-for-profit organization to assist families in crisis. The community’s optimism and compassion move
them forward, yet when Bobbie is released from prison, their forgiveness and
healing are put to the test.
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| Constance Shulman as Officer Darla London Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company |
The
cast is a true ensemble, building relationships that grow over time and reflect
honest responses to a tragic event.
Constance Shulman (as Officer Darla) opens and closes the play with
monologues that frame the experiences of all the characters. She becomes the through line that keeps the
action moving. With this character Mr.
Lubischer successfully creates an objective observer to the action. She is able to comment on and propel the
action forward. He brilliantly uses this
character to the fullest capacity.
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| Ethan Dubin as Bobbie Clearly\ Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company |
Mr.
Lubischer sets up the premise that the characters are all being interviewed for
a documentary about Casey Welch and Bobbie Clearly. This allows the characters to go back and
forth from direct address monologues to present moment scenes. Their reminiscence of fact ignites the dialogue
scenes, revealing the emotional levels of the characters. It is in this understanding that the story is
told. How much is denial? How much is truth? How honest is their forgiveness? What is the capacity of their bond of
compassion? Mr. Lubischer takes these
raw emotions to the breaking point in an unexpected climactic Act III. He delivers a powerful punch in the final
moments of his skillfully crafted play, leaving everyone deep in thought.
You
only have one more week to see Bobbie
Clearly. It is playing at the
Roundabout Underground Black Box at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for
Theatre through May 6. Try not to miss
it!
Domenick Danza
