The opening show of Blackfriars
Theatre’s 2016-17 season features guns, presidents, and a national anthem — and
a premise that began more than 100 years ago in another dark theater. It was
Ford’s Theatre, 1865. On April 14 — Good Friday — a well-known actor named John
Wilkes Booth became the first successful presidential assassin; and Abraham
Lincoln became the first assassinated US president.
Some
historical rumors hint that the first presidential assassination was the result
of a string of bad theatrical reviews, and Booth’s bitterness, combined with a
hunger for fame, led to the deed. More reliable sources say it was Booth’s
loyalty to the South, and he’d been plotting the act.
In the 1980’s,
composer Stephen Sondheim read a play by Charles Gilbert Jr. that fascinated
him so much that he asked Gilbert if he could develop it into a musical. The
resulting show was “Assassins,” with music and lyrics by Sondheim and book by
John Weidman, which opened Off-Broadway in 1990. (A 2004 Broadway revival later
won five Tony Awards.)
As the
opener for Artistic Director Danny Hoskins’ second season at Blackfriars, “Assassins” is a bold choice in many ways. The
dark humor has political undertones, and it contains content that might make
some audiences uncomfortable. (When Sondheim penned “Assassins” in the late 80’s,
gun control wasn’t part of the national dialogue.) Theatre is meant to push
people out of their comfort zones, and this show may do some pushing.
The set
design by Eric Williamson is immersive: while the original set of “Assassins”
was a carnival-themed game show featuring assassins from throughout history,
co-directors Hoskins and Janine Mercandetti have established
a circus setting, complete with twinkling lights and face-in-hole cutouts
outside the theater entrance. Inside, actors sell tickets for games like “pop
the balloon with the dart,” while others sell circus peanuts (and real peanuts)
for $2 from concession boxes hanging around their necks. It’s a fun atmosphere,
and one that encourages not only face-to-face engagement, but also social media
engagement (the production has a hashtag, #AssassinsBT).
For this
version of the show, Hoskins and Mercandetti sought
performers who were also musicians: everyone, at some point, appears to play an
instrument (though not necessarily well), and the ensemble acts as the
orchestra. It makes for a fast-paced, high-energy show — a good thing,
considering the one hour and 45 minute musical doesn’t include an intermission.
While it’s a
strong ensemble overall, several actors stand out. Colin D. Pazik
plays the “leader” of the assassins, John Wilkes Booth. While he has performed
in non-musical roles at Blackfriars (most recently as
Hal in “Proof”), Pazik has the chops for singing
roles and proves himself a truly versatile actor who shouldn’t be underestimated.
Blackfriars newcomer Rachel Walsh claims the biggest
laughs of the night for her consistently hilarious portrayal of ex-FBI agent
Sara Jane Moore, who attempted (and failed) to assassinate President Gerald
Ford in 1975. Abby Adair Reinhard plays the role of
Moore’s partner-in-attempted-crime and Manson groupie Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme. Reinhard has a
magnetizing stage presence throughout the show (particularly during the
“Unworthy of Your Love” duet).
Assistant
musical director Matthew Wegman (who doesn’t often
have the chance to perform an in-depth role, according to his program bio),
plays the part of the Balladeer, a sort of narrator with a heavy lyrical
responsibility. Wegman excels; carrying the narrative
with strong, clear vocals and expressive acting instincts. His songs don’t last
long enough, somehow. John Winter, who plays President McKinley’s assassin Leon
Czolgosz, is another versatile actor not to be
underestimated; he’s held some excellent roles around
the city (most recently in “The Presstitutes” at MuCCC), and shows his range in this show with both an
excellent Polish accent and a fine singing voice.
Steve Cena, who portrays attempted President Nixon assassin
Samuel Byck, has two tough sells with his role:
lengthy monologues and eating real food while talking — but Cena
triumphs, making his scenes some of the most compelling in the entire
production. (A particularly great moment is the tape recording Byck makes for Leonard Bernstein, one of Sondheim’s closest
friends and collaborators.)
The costumes
(and music) are matched to each character’s era, creating quite a bit of work
for costumer Alyssa Sullivan. But she manages to match each impressively, which
serves as a helpful timeline throughout the show. To the credit of props master
John Engel, the guns used in the show don’t resemble real weapons. They’re more
like the wooden toys used in childish games of Cowboys and Indians. When a gun
“goes off” in the show, a drum is banged. So while the gun-heavy material could
touch a nerve for some audience members, the stories are clearly presented with
fictional aspects and a lot of creative license.
There really
isn’t a moral to the story. And it doesn’t need one. “Assassins” is part history
lesson, part black comedy, and wholly enjoyable. It’s a strong start to year
two for Hoskins, and (hopefully) sets a standard for the coming season.
This article appears in Sep 7-13, 2016.
