“The Porch on Windy Hill” is billed as a new play with old music. The music is mostly country style folk music, many of which I knew from other versions sung by singers of the 1960’s. It opens with a young couple leaving New York, where they’ve been cooped up during the pandemic, as they explore the different musical venues of the Southeastern United States. He is working on his doctoral thesis on the changing of music over time. She is a violin player who, having lost her job during the pandemic, is accompanying him. What they find at one of the concerts after their car has broken down, is an old performer- her estranged grandfather, who she hasn’t seen in eighteen years. It is a beautiful, heartfelt story that reveals itself while the three play many songs on their stringed instruments.

            Let me begin by saying that I am not a big fan of bluegrass music, but the songs they play range from ballads to classical and these three are amazing performers playing banjo, guitar, dulcimer, mandolin, erhu, and violin. It is a joy to both listen and watch them. And Mira’s performances blew me away.

            Mira (EJ Zimmerman) is half Korean. Her grandfather Edgar (David M. Lutken) is white. When his daughter Ruth married a Korean, there was racial stereotyping from Edgar’s family, his brother having fought in the Vietnam War. They were not kind to Mira.  The story of what emerges during the play is heartbreaking.

And then, there are the constant musical interludes. The songs do not attempt to narrate the story. There are for the most part, a break from the narrative while they create a parallel play, a musical of camaraderie as they sing and play together.  

            In between the songs, we hear the young man Beckett (Rob Morrison) analyze and explain the background of the music. He is the scholar. Edgar has little use for the stories. He says, “just play it.”

            Even the term hootenanny is examined. When musicians in the south get together to shindig, they call it a pickin’ party. “Hootenanny,” exclaims Edgar, “is a northern word.”

            The musicians are outstanding. Their voices are wonderful. The story is compelling. The sheer entertainment is delightful. What an incredible collection of talent!

“The Porch on Windy Hill” by David M. Lutken, Sherry Stregack Lutken, Lisa Helmi Johanson, and Morgan Morse at People’s Light, 39 Conestoga Rd., Malvern, PA 19355, 610-644-3500, peopleslight.org   Thru October 20, 2024

This play is about the President of the United States, right?  Not really. The subtitle is “Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive.” Arden Theatre Company’s latest production of this all-female farce is directed by Jennifer Childs, the brilliant artistic director at 1812 Productions, is quite funny, though at times, it’s a bit over-the-top for me. We all have our own barometers for comedy.

            Most of it takes place in Margaret’s office. She is the First Lady. Going in and out of the office are the president’s chief of staff, his press secretary, his personal secretary, a newspaper reporter, and later, on, his sister, whose been imprisoned for dealing drugs. They are all trying to protect the President (except the reporter) from bad publicity since he is about to meet with foreign leaders about a nuclear treaty. But at a press conference recently, he’d said the word “cunty,” referring to his wife’s recent behavior. They are trying to do damage control. On top of that, they are also trying to hide the fact that he has a cyst on his ass, and they trying to figure a way he can sit without pain.

            Playwright Selena Fillinger doesn’t shy away from using expletives throughout the play. At first, they are very funny, but after a while, I felt that they were just cursing for laughs. Even the subplots of the characters are overwhelmed by the jokes and the curses. There is some substance in Fillinger’s characters, from the gay relationships and the drugs to the ambitious news reporter and the pregnant woman who shows up.

Then there is the president (who we never see) who will remind you of Donald Trump. It is an engaging story, and they realize (as do we) that many of them would make better presidents than the current POTUS. All this takes place in just one day.

            Childs has assembled an outstanding ensemble of women. They are all strong- stronger than men. But are they really different from the men? I do love that they share their thoughts and their struggles, but too often, I feel as though I am watching a silly television show with overacting. And I don’t need a joke on every third line to make it a better farce. Still, I was in an audience where there was constant laughter. Is it because I am a man who is reviewing a woman’s play about women? I hope not.

            It’s certainly not your everyday play. Arden presents a great variety of theater and in fact, when it premiered in New York in 2022, POTUS received two Tony nominations for best featured actress in a play. As I stated at the start of this review, everyone responds differently to comedy. There were times I laughed out loud and other times, I didn’t care for the style. It’s a younger view of comedy and I suspect that younger crowds will like this a lot. Fellinger was 28 when she wrote it.

“POTUS- Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive” by Selina Fillinger, at Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. 2^nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. 215-922-11222   ardentheatre.org   extended thru October 13, 2024

            “The Wanderers” is the story of two Jewish couples who live in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. One is an Orthodox couple whose marriage was arranged as we first meet them. The other is a secular Jewish couple who are writers and have known each other since they were children. Both marriages are struggling. All four characters at some point, question their choices, their lives, and life itself. If we read the program before the play begins, we see that the Orthodox couple are actually the parents of Abe, the writer-husband of the other couple. We also see that the play spans two time periods- 1973-1982 and 2015-2017. It’s a fascinating play by Anna Ziegler and Lantern Theater’s production is superb.

            Abe (Robert DaPonte) and Sophie (Arielle Siler), both writers, are married with two kids. He has been successful and has won awards. Her book was seriously panned, and she struggles with being second fiddle to a man who is never satisfied. They have known each other since they were infants. Though their marriage was not arranged, he felt the need to please his mother by marrying Sophie. He takes solace in an extended on-line “relationship” with the beautiful film actress, Julia Cheever (Alanna J. Smith).

            Schmuli (Adam Howard) and Esther (Zoe Nebraska Feldman) struggle with intimacy, though they produce two daughters. He wants lots of children and expects his wife to stay at home and be subordinate to him as other Orthodox women are to their husbands. Pregnant with her third child, she wants no more and seeks birth control for herself, a no-no among the Orthodox.

            Playwright Anna Ziegler takes us back and forth between the two couple’s lives while dividing the stories into seven chapters. What at first appears to be four “types” of individuals evolves into rich substories. We ache for the women who feel dismissed. We also wonder and worry what choices Abe will make as he reveals himself to Julia.

            What makes this play so extraordinary is the simple manner in which Ziegler deals with guilt, with desire, with independence, with trying to figure out just who they are. How far do we go to please another? Abe even tries to fix the past by writing a better outcome.

            Director Jesse Bernstein links the two stories expertly without revealing too much of what lies underneath- there is plenty. And the title, “The Wanderers,” reminds us that we are all wandering through life without a compass. It is so very real and unique at the same time. It needs to be seen!

“The Wanderers” by Anna Ziegler at Lantern Theater Company at St. Stephen’s Theater, 923 Ludlow St., Philadelphia, PA 19107. 215-829-0395   lanterntheater.org    thru October 6, 2024.

Tony Braithwaite is one of my favorite Philadelphia actors because he can play so many different types of characters without absurdly stretching the limit. So I was most intrigued when I learned he be would portraying God in Act II Playhouse’s comedy, “An Act of God.” Written by Emmy Award Winner comedy writer for his work on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” David Javerbaum, the play featured Jim Parsons when it opened on Broadway in 2015. I can’t imagine anyone doing it better than Braithwaite.

            When the play begins, God (Braithwaite) is dressed in a white suit as he explains that he has chosen to appear in the body of the Act II actor (Braithwaite) who is at home, sleeping. He tells us and the two archangels who accompany him, that he has come to Earth to straighten out the misconception that religions have about him. He is coming with a new set of Ten Commandments.

            He talks about the challenges posed by evolution. He complains about the God-given right to guns and why bad things happen to good people. He asks that we stop saying God bless you when ever someone sneezes and about his issue with the song “God Bless America. Neither does he like the terms, goddammit and goddamned! He talks at length about Abraham, who he asked to sacrifice his son… until he changed his mind. He talks about circumcision. He talks about Jesus, who he at first didn’t think was too bright and was not an only child, but a middle child, between Zach and Cathy. He is annoyed with the athletes who are always thanking him when they succeed, as they kiss the cross and look to the heavens. It is all preposterous!

            As for the new commandments, one is to Honor Thy Children. Another is “Thou shalt not tell others whom to fornicate.” And he emphasizes “Thou shalt not seek a personal relationship with God.”

            But God doesn’t just complain- he is funny when he talks about the world. He is very funny while giving us so much to think about. There are many smart jokes and clever innuendoes. At times, we feel like we are watching a brilliant stand-up comedian. Other times, he responds to Archangel Michael’s (Paddy May) probing questions while he takes comfort in Archangel Gabriel’s (Reneee McFillin) support.

            And we see that even God has a temper. Even God doesn’t know what is always happening. Even God has trouble making decisions. I don’t want to spoil the tons of jokes that come at us, but as I indicated above, they are not a slapstick sort of humor. They are just fun and funny! We all just laughed and laughed during this wonderful 70-minute play.

“An Act of God” by David Javerbaum at Act II Playhouse, 56 E. Butler Avenue., Ambler, PA 19002, 215-654-0200,   act2.org    Extended thru September 8, 2024

With a title like “Somewhere Over the Border,” you can’t help but wonder if it is about immigration or is it a take on the song, “Somewhere, Over the Rainbow.” It turns out that this musical is about both. Reina is a 17-year-old girl in El Salvador in 1978 who has just given birth and wonders if her country is the best place to raise the child. She eventually decides to flee to the United States, leaving all behind (including the baby) where she hopes she can find a better life and eventually bring her family with her. It is a trail far more intimidating than the Yellow Brick Road from “The Wizard of Oz,” though she does meet others who want to go with her. People’s Light presents this beautifully written tale, with on-stage musicians performing hip-hop, rock, and more traditional theater music as this superb cast of 6 shares this journey with us.

            The story is told to us by The Narrator (Arusi Santi), one of the musicians. But in effect, each character is a narrator, as we understand their many struggles and hopes.

            El Salvador is a dangerous place to grow up and live in the 1970’s. Hearing idyllic stories about what life is like in America, Reina (Isabella Campos) dreams of a better life. She has a supportive brother and lives with a cantankerous mother. One day, at the market, she meets a neighbor whose daughter has escaped to San Diego and is living the good life. Unfortunately, there’s no way to enter legally so she must raise a hefty sum of money to sneak across the border.

            She is lent money by that neighbor, by the man she works for, and from her brother,  and she begins her trek. She is told how to meet a contact person to whom she will pay the money, the man who will smuggle her across the border. She leaves only a note for her mother. En route, she meets three others who also have personal reasons for wanting to get to America. But rather than a scarecrow, a tin man, and a lion, these are real people with real motives for wanting to emigrate and I won’t spoil the story by telling you too much about them. The banana farmer, the innkeeper, and the nun will all join her, each coming up with the money they need for the payoff.

            This first act was filled with song and humor that keeps us on the edge of our seat while also making us laugh with the comedy in the script by Brian Quijada (whose mother fled from El Salvador before he was born). This talented man also composed the most entertaining songs that revealed the plot and allowed us to see what the characters were thinking. In relating the inner thought, he used rap. Other times, old fashioned rock told the stories. And then, the were the soft songs that every lover of old musicals could relate to- all masterfully performed by the band.

            The first act, an hour and twenty minutes of the two-act play was flawless. While there were clear comparisons with the film, they were understated, and we could appreciate the struggles that the travelers faced without it being thrown in our face. The second act was not as powerful. Expecting lots of drama, I was disappointed in how the 40-minute second act sped through the events of the crossing and the aftermath, including her disappointment in America and what followed when she sought to bring her son there many years later. That first act was so good, I wanted more!

            Still, I highly recommend this remarkable and unusual play. We care about the tales of each character as well as understand why so many people seek refuge in America. You will come away talking about this for a long time!

“Somewhere Over the Border” by Brian Quijada at People’s Light, 39 Conestoga Rd., Malvern, PA 19355, 610-644-3500, peopleslight.org   Thru August 11, 2024

Myra is trying to deal with the death of Douglas, a poet she met many years ago and she is struggling as she tries to send texts to the man’s son. But she has inadvertently sent the texts to a young woman, Fran, who she doesn’t even know, because she sent the messages to the wrong area code- she is off by one digit, sending it to 213 rather than 212. And that is the name of the new play, “off by one,” a world premiere by Joseph Dougherty at People’s Light in Malverne.

On another part of the stage is Douglas, a lonely old man who is not dead yet but is reflecting on the inevitable in the cabin-like home he bought 30 years earlier, at the far end of Long Island, after his wife died. He is a poet, who never achieved the recognition he sought. He is smart. He is insightful. But he is clearly nearing the end of his life. Time is fluid as we move back and forth before and after he died.

What is so fascinating about this play is that even though much of the it is built around Douglas (David Strathairn) and his decline, it is the response of Fran (Claire Inie-Richard) that drives the play as she strives to learn about Myra and contacts her. Fran’s boyfriend Matthew (Aubie Merrylees) is none-too-pleased with Fran’s attempt to find a special meaning in her life by connecting with Myra. They argue. He’s a pragmatist. “The universe doesn’t care,” he says. “It’s about what is and isn’t.”

But life is complicated. Each person tries to find meaning in their own special way. Douglas’s life as a poet, then as a hermit while he still tried to write and publish, is haunting. And there is that summer, decades before, when Myra came to his place to help him organize his writing. What really happened? It is a story unto itself.

Also complicated is Fran’s life. She is a dreamer and thinks there is much more meaning in life since getting those texts meant for someone else. She believes she has received them for some mystical reason. She fights with Mathew who is rather inflexible and but she finds joy when she connects and then visits Myra.

It’s one of those plays where we wonder what would have happened if … There are fascinating, albeit confusing times, when memory and time are significant parts of the story.

The play is 1:35 long, without an intermission, but I am sad to say, it felt much longer. Ironically, I would prefer that playwright, Dougherty make it a two-act play and give us more- more about Douglas and his relationship with his wife Carol before she died, more about his relationship with his son, more about Myra. But most off all, I would like, what seemed to be two separate plays, to have been better integrated.

Strathairn, a popular actor from film and television, was great. All the actors were superb. The set by Daniel Zimmerman was strong. And the ideas in the play were most interesting. It’s worth a look even though I hope Dougherty will continue to develop the play.

“off by one” by Joseph Dougherty, at People’s Light, 39 Conestoga Rd., Malvern, PA 19355, 610-644-3500, peopleslight.org   Thru July 7, 2024

Marge is a successful photographer and professor of photography.  Tiffany is a former student of Marge’s who has become the subject of all Marge’s photographs since they met. They fall in love and are married. But now, six years later, Tiffany is questioning her whole relationship and takes off on a month-long backpacking hike by herself as she tries to figure out if she was and is really loved, or only a prop, a muse in Marge’s life. InterAct Theatre has put on its stage the world premiere of C.A. Johnson’s “The Climb. And it is a fascinating look at art/photography and both the makers and subject of that art.

            Two other characters in Johnson’s play help bring out the complexity of Marge (Sam Rosentrater) and Tiffany (Ciera Gardner). One is a new student of Marge’s, Bella (Claris Park), who is fascinated with the history of photography and with her professor’s work. The other is Ike (Trevor Fayle), a man Tiffany meets on the hike. He is a nice guy who talks a lot, but she is not interested in him as she planned for this trip to be a silent hike.

            As a photographer and former theater director myself, I was fascinated by the questions raised in “The Climb.” How much of a fine photograph is the product of the photographer or is the model just as important in the final work of art? Who is in control? What does a portrait say? In the lobby of the show, there are many famous works of art (portraits) displayed. How much do we know about these muses? Tiffany is asking those questions of herself. Is she more than an object? She climbs the mountain with Ike, but her climb is far more complex.

            Marge too is struggling. She genuinely loves Tiffany, but she has also used her to enhance her own reputation as a photographer. As mentor to Bella, she learns as much from Bella as she gives to the 19-year-old student.

            It was Marge who originally introduced Tiffany to hiking and there are flashbacks to that trip as reminders of that first picture that she took of Tiffany that changed the lives of both of them. And though Marge seems unable to take any photos while Tiffany is gone, Bella urges her to shoot. But she takes a photo of the young girl, and Bella, sensing what might happen, rebels.

            There are so many other interesting points raised in this drama. Is Marge’s love for Tiffany real or is she a narcissist who is using Tiffany, as my friend who saw the play believes? I love theater which raises questions but doesn’t try to resolve them. In fact, the term male gaze is used. That is when a man objectifies a woman for his own needs. Though she is a woman, is Marge seeing with the male gaze?

            Then, there is Ike who is genuinely trying to get to know his fellow hiker. But Tiffany wants nothing to do with him for she sees him in a paternalistic way that she neither needs nor wants. Will the hiking change that experience? So many questions in this finely crafted play by Johnson- from what is art to who we are.

“The Climb” by C.A. Johnson  at InterAct Theatre Company at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks St., Philadelphia, PA 19102, 215-568-8079  interacttheatre.org  Thru June 23, 2024

            It is the summer of 1862 in West Texas as the U.S. is in the midst of the Civil War. Hero is a slave on a plantation when he is told by the owner, his master, The Colonel, that if he joins him and the Confederate Army, he will be given his freedom. It is a moral dilemma for Hero to fight for a cause that keeps his people enslaved. It is the first of many challenging and awkward decisions made by the characters in Suzan-Lori Parks brilliant three act play at Quintessence Theatre,

            As the dilemma confronts him, the others who live at the shack on the plantation, are betting spoons and shoes as to whether or not he will go. There is a comic tone at first. He gets advice from the old man (Monroe Barrick) who we think at first is his father (his father was hanged for trying to escape) and from the Penny (Deja Anderson-Ross), who we learn later, is his wife. On top of that is his dog, Odd-See, who has been his best friend and confidante. It has run away after an uncharacteristic kicking by Hero.

Alone in his thoughts, Hero (Kelechi Udenkwo) shuffles back and forth trying to decide, changing his mind constantly, unsure that even if he goes, will Colonel honor his promise. “I’ll be helping out on the wrong side” he says one minute before deciding to go. But then, he worries about what his life would be like with no one telling him what to do as a free man.  Will it really be better? He is even on the verge at one point, of having his foot cut off, so he won’t have to go. And the decision must be made before the sunrise. Enter Homer (Eric Carter), with a complicated set of issues from when he tried to run away.  He confronts Hero. They have a difficult past. If you are beginning to hear tones based on Homer’s epic poem, “The Odyssey,” you are correct.

The second act takes place in a forest. The Colonel has captured a wounded Northern Captain Smith (Donovan Whitney) and has him locked in a cage. Two white men discussing the morality of the war from different perspectives. Hero is off gathering wood for the fire. Will he return? In short order, he does, and the captain doesn’t understand why because both armies are within ten miles of their location.

The Colonel hopes to gain recognition from his commander for his capture. But the conversation amongst the three men is so honest, so real, that we are mesmerized by what they are saying and thinking about color, about life, about each other. I won’t attempt to repeat their talks and what happens to each as it must be experienced afresh by the playgoer.

In the third act, we are back at the slave quarters in West Texas. It is a year since Hero left. The owners are gone. There are a few runaways hiding there, planning to head north. Penny, who had been hoping to see her husband again, keeps asking the question- is he dead? She takes some comfort from Homer who wants to flee north with her and the runaways. 

Once again, so much is revealed, first through the dog, who has found his master, then through the confrontations Parks has created.

Throughout the play, with the exception of the cage in the second act, the stage is bare. We don’t need any set to feel the power of the many struggles before us. The acting is so genuine. Director Raelle Myrick Hodges has expertly put together this masterpiece. If there was one issue I had with the production, it was when some of the actors, with their backs to me, talked fast with their southern dialect, and I missed the finely crafted words of Parks, a Pulitzer Prize winner for her drama, “TopDog/Underdog.” “Father Comes Home from the Wars” is a play you will be talking about for a long time.

“Father Comes Home from the Wars” by Suzan-Lori Parks at Quintessence Theatre, 7137 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19119, 215-987-4450, quintessencetheatre.org   Thru June 23, 2024

Though the show, “Forever Plaid” was created 35 years ago and has been performed around the world, it is a musical that I’d never seen. I only knew it was something about the “boy bands” of the 1950’s and a kind of musical review. It is so much more than that as presented at Act II Playhouse. I will go so far as to say I wouldn’t have gone to see the show had I not been reviewing it. It would have been a great loss for me.

            On February 9, 1964, a 1959 Mercury convertible was carrying four young men to a major gig to perform their songs. This all-boy band was hit by a school bus carrying Catholic school girls to the Ed Sullivan show to see another boy band- The Beatles. The four, who were hit by the bus, performed under the name, The Plaids. They were all killed. We don’t see the accident.  It is told to us by the four who have returned to this day to give us the concert they never had a chance to perform. And they do perform!!!

They recreate the classic songs of the 1950’s and early 60’s with such expertise, you would think that they were the original artists. “Three Coins in a Fountain, Moments to Remember, Heart and Soul, Catch a Falling Star, Lady of Spain. They sing the songs of their heroes, The Four Freshmen, The Hi-Los, and The Crew Cuts among others. They sing a Beatles song, there is a tribute to Perry Como, and there is a hilarious 3-minute tribute to The Ed Sullivan Show. I could go on and on. I was surprised that I remembered the lyrics of so many of the songs and was singing with them… in my head. But they are more than just any barbershop quartet.

Liam Snead, Thomas Smith, Matthew Wright-Conti and Michael Indeglio (who also directed this 90-minute masterpiece) are real people with beautiful voices. In Act II’s intimate space, we can see the joy on their faces as well as the confusion when they take a wrong step or move to the wrong spot on the stage. Stephen Casey’s choreography is both simple and beautiful. And the on-stage accompaniment by pianist Dan Matarazzo and bassist Hans Hibbard is soft and strong. We never miss a word of the songs from overly loud music.

I don’t know how Michael Indeglio managed to direct this piece and star in it. I could never act in a play that I was directing. You must have eyes in the back of your head to be performing and still watch the others on stage with you. Such a talent!

I can see why Stuart Ross’s play continues to draw large audiences. It is a timeless story of dreams that were unfulfilled in life but have a chance to happen forever. And it is done with so much joy and so many comedic touches. I am so glad to have seen it.

“Forever Plaid” by Stuart Ross at Act II Playhouse, 56 E. Butler Avenue., Ambler, PA 19002, 215-654-0200,   act2.org    Extended thru June 23, 2024

Dionysus was the Greek god of vegetation and fertility. In her Obie winning play, “Hurricane Diane,” Madeleine George has the god look down upon the modern world and, seeing it about to be destroyed by man’s poor treatment of the planet, decides to come to Earth to save it. Able to inhabit different bodies, he arrives in New Jersey as a she- Diane. And she comes as a landscaper, trying to persuade four suburban housewives who live on a cul-de-sac, to change their properties and to create a sustainable agricultural ecosystem- permaculture. It’s a strange premise to begin a story, but the play soon takes on many more dimensions, some rather interesting and some rather silly.

            The four women have their own stories. Carol (Terri Lamm) just wants her yard to look good- curb appeal. And she wants a new wrought-iron bench. Diane tries to convince her otherwise.

            Beth (Julianna Zinkel) has been struggling since her husband walked out on her a few months earlier. She can’t even bring herself to mow her lawn and it is very overgrown. That appeals to Diane. Beth is susceptible to Diane’s arguments and also, to her sexual advances. Dionysus’ powers also include pleasure.

            Renee writes for a gardening magazine and is fascinated with Diane’s ideas. Married now, she had many affairs with women before and previously identified as gay. Those sexual feelings are aroused again by Diane.

Pam (Suli Holum) is a sexy Italian woman who is hard to convince of anything until Diane turns on the charm (probably as a man, though it is not fully clear).

These four friends met regularly to talk about their lives and their families before the arrival of Diane. And in order to succeed in her mission, to save the planet, it seems to be determined that she must have all four go along with her plan.

Though the play won the best writing award for Madeleine George at the 2019 Obie Awards, I found the production at People’s Light to a rather limited look at stereotypical women that seemed more like a television show- lots of overacting. That these women needed to be convinced by a god to save the planet was presented as just silly- no need to overact. It is a comedy about serious stuff. But I didn’t find it very funny. As for the portrayal of Diane by Rami Margron, I found it shallow. Perhaps if Director Molly Rosa Houlahan explored the subtle nuances of the script more effectively, it might have worked better.

If you want to see if Diane saves the planet, you can check it out. There were even some people laughing at times, so maybe you will find it funnier than I did.

“Hurricane Diane” by Madeleine George at People’s Light, 39 Conestoga Rd., Malvern, PA 19355, 610-644-3500, peopleslight.org   Thru May 19, 2024