Swept Away

 Swept Away
Longacre Theatre
December 28, 2024 

Photo courtesy of Swept Away

The Broadway production of Swept Away is a beautiful telling of a harrowing tale.   John Logan’s book cuts to the heart.  The music and lyrics by the Avett Brothers run the gamut from foot stomping fun to tender, spiritually moving ballads.  Director Michael Mayer approaches the challenges of this unique musical with creativity and perspective that grips the soul and engages every emotion.  This new musical is closing way too soon.  

Mate (played by John Gallagher, Jr.) is haunted on his deathbed by the ghosts of three of his shipmates.  They urge him to tell their story.  He resists, and finally gives in.  It is the year 1888.  A whaling vessel is ready to set sail, but one crew member is missing.  Little Brother (played by Adrian Blake Enscoe) rushes in, ready for his first big adventure.  He is followed by Big Brother (played by Stark Sand), who is trying to convince him to return home to their farm.  While they are engrossed in their argument, Captain (played by Wayne Duvall) orders the gangplank to be removed so the ship can set sail.  Big Brother is now trapped with Little Brother, embarking on a journey he had no intention of joining.  The brothers continue to argue for days, but it is useless.  They are at sea.  When the ship hits a storm, all the crew are lost, except Mate, Captain, Big Brother, and Little Brother.  They are adrift in a lifeboat, where they will remain for over twenty days with no food or water.  As Little Brother lays dying, they make the only decision that will keep the remaining three alive. 

Photo courtesy of Swept Away

The first half of this musical is full of discovery, comradery, and conflict aboard the whaling vessel.  The choreography, by David Neumann, creates relationships among the hardy crew, builds tension between the characters, and keeps the action moving at a brisk pace.  Mr. Neumann works closely with scenic designer, Rachel Hauck to magnificently depict the sinking of the ship.  It is a gripping and stunning enactment.  

Photo courtesy of Swept Away

The second half takes place in the lifeboat, and the tone dramatically shifts.  The four main actors (Adrian Blake Enscoe, Stark Sand, Wayne Duvall, and John Gallagher, Jr,) keep the audience fully engaged.  Mr. Mayer brilliantly spins the lifeboat in different directions to transition the perspective.  The climax of the action is a heart wrenching twist, which allows the rest of the story to fall gracefully to its conclusion.  Forgiveness, comfort, and redemption are shared among these characters.  It is an honorable ending to a tragic story. 

Swept Away announced an abrupt closing date shortly after it opened at the Longacre Theatre.  The closing was extended for two weeks to December 29.  At this time, there is no notice of it being extended again, which is highly unfortunate.  It is a unique and brilliant piece of theatre.  Its closing is a tremendous loss to the Broadway season. 

Domenick Danza

A Parallelogram

A Parallelogram

Second Stage Theater

Tony Kiser Theater

August 18, 2017

 

Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

In his play A Parallelogram, Bruce Norris asks the questions: If you are able to go back and live your life over again, knowing how it will turn out, would you do it?  There are a lot of complex issues to contemplate in a decision like this.  His play, while delivering a lot of laughs, considers them all, and also looks at the probability of affecting a different outcome if you have the courage to change your actions.

Bee (played by Celia Keenan-Bolger) is in the middle of a heated discussion with her boyfriend Jay (played by Stephen Kunken), when the woman she met at the grocery store earlier that day (played by Anita Gillette) pushes a button on her remote and rewinds the scene so Bee can relive it.  She does this a few times until Bee is satisfied with her participation in the discussion.  The woman explains to Bee the science behind the phenomenon.  She then reveals to the audience that she is from the future, when most of the population of the world dies off from a mysterious illness.  She does not.  She is Bee in the future.  She is able to tell Bee the outcome of her experiences.  The remote (a parallelogram) offers Bee the opportunity to move backwards and forwards in time to assess her choices and possible change her behavior.  Will any of this effect the final outcome?

Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

Celia Keenan-Bolger portrays Bee rationally and logically, allowing for the transitions in time to be realistic and believable.  Her character is driven by and inquisitive desire to understand how her actions can improve the future.  She challenges the rules of the parallelogram as set up by her older self, and keeps the action flowing forward with her determination.  Anita Gillette is beguiling, direct, and funny as Bee's older self.  Her monologues are full of information needed to understand the context of the story.  She delivers them with charm, energy and delight, keeping the audience engaged as the complex layers of the story unfold.  Since Bee’s boyfriend is not in the know of the phenomenon, Stephen Kunken plays Jay as the straight man for most of the jokes, setting up and following through with the situational humor keenly established by Ms. Bolger and Ms. Gillette.  He does not miss a beat.  His comic timing and physicality is spot on.

Celia Keenan-Bolger & Anita Gillette
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

The set, designed by Rachel Hauck, is a realistic rendition of two interior locations.  What makes it spectacular is the way they move into place.  At the push of a button, the stage right and left walls smoothly spin and the upstage wall moves forward, then back again.  This, along with lighting design by Kenneth Posner and sound design by Matt Tierney, creates the swift flow the story line requires in order to be credible and engaging. 

Mr. Norris’ play is very well constructed and keeps you thinking throughout.  The direction by Michael Greif keeps the action tightly focused on the details that make the show work.  The Second Stage Theater production of A Parallelogram is closing on August 20.  Their upcoming season looks great.  Check out their website for details. 

Domenick Danza