Review: "Dear Alien," Chester Theatre

Chester Theatre, Chester, MA
www.chestertheatre.org
August 23, 2026
By Suzanne Wells

Chester Theatre Company presents “Dear Alien,” written by Liz Duffy Adams and directed by Michelle Ong Hendrick, as a vivid portrait of an advice columnist whose life has narrowed to one room and one relentless box of letters. At first, the play has a sparkle of a comic monologue but slowly darkens into a meditation on despair and survival.

The action unfolds in a shabby-chic one room apartment filled with velvet, satin, a hardwood writing desk, a faded, upholstered chaise lounge, and a well-stocked bar cart. Crumpled papers and letters litter every corner, suggesting a personal collapse.

As Dear Alien, Bill Kux is the center of the production. He begins flamboyantly, drawing the audience in with gossip and dry, sarcastic humor, then gradually reveals the disillusionment beneath the performance. He treats the audience as correspondents themselves, pulling them into the advice columnist’s world as he transitions to painful self-reflection. Kux’s range—witty, brittle, vulnerable, and finally exposed—makes the character deeply human.

David Keohane as Écrivain and Eliza Fichter as Scrittora function less as conventional supporting characters than as theatrical devices, embodiments of the many voices asking Dear Alien for help. They gracefully blend into the background, only to emerge with another letter, another crisis, another demand for wisdom from a man who is struggling to save himself. Their presence keeps the play moving while also emphasizing the pressure placed on Dear Alien.

The letters give the play its structure, and Dear Alien answers them with evocative imagery and sharp, sometimes brutal, truths. His counsel to trust one’s instincts, to be the hero of one’s own life, and to accept the world is full of “unnecessary unkindness” are themes which help him overcome his ultimate dilemma - a life-or-death reckoning.

Dear Alien recalls a morally complicated moment when he was faced with saving himself or someone else. Questioning if his actions were selfish, heroic, or some tangled mixture of both? In that uncertainty, the play finds its strongest tension. It asks whether survival and kindness can coexist, and whether saving someone else might also be a way of saving oneself.

“Dear Alien” proves thought-provoking and unexpectedly hopeful. 

Review: “Amchitka,” Chester Theatre

Chester Theatre, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through August 8, 2026

by Shera Cohen

“Amchitka” is the name of a new play presented at Chester Theatre. It is also the name of a basically uninhabited island located off of Alaska. Its historical context during WWII and in the mid-1960’s are the reasons that some people might have heard of it. In November 1971, the United States (the country which owns these islands) conducted a series of nuclear tests, albeit extremely controversial and news-worthy at the time.

Playwright Mark St. Germain is well-known in the Berkshires, particularly for his fictionalized biographical plays about famous individuals; i.e. Sigmund Freud, Alan Turing, Dr. Ruth. While “Amchitka” does not focus on any one person, his latest story utilizes the setting and its history as historic backdrop in which he places three fictitious characters.

Diana (Kelly Lester), Nate (Will Maizel), and Connie (Hero Marguerite) portray scientists living and working in close quarters for an extended period of time on the island. They are colleagues; not friends. Their mission for the U.S. Department of Energy is vitally important; to oversee the long-term effects of nuclear contamination. The actors’ skills are fine and evenly matched.

Photo credit: Andrew Greto 

Another familiar and highly respected name in the Berkshires’ theatre scene is Julianne Boyd, director of this play and Founding Artistic Director of neighboring Barrington Stage Company. Boyd does the best that she can using a static, uninteresting, white lab as backdrop for the primarily static and generally boring characters.

The plot focuses on personal conflicts among the trio, yet more importantly on decisions that will affect world history. In truth, the play’s plot is difficult to fully understand, and spoilers won’t permit a critique that gives the particulars of what happens before, during, and after these scientists study and work at “Amchitka” except to say that the happenings of nearly 50 years ago are in many ways too close to home for the audience’s comfort level in the 21st century.

Unlike St. Germain’s other work, “Amchitka” is extremely talky – between three characters that the viewers care little about. Had each been a person who walked out of a history book (even Richard Nixon who was president in this era), the story would have been worth the time to explore.

Perhaps others will find the play a chilling look into today’s political and environmental tensions as foreseen in “Amchitka”.

 

Review: Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer

Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org
July 12, 2026
By Suzanne Wells

It is hard to sit through “Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer” without feeling that the past is pressing urgently into the present. Written by Cheryl L. West and directed by Gilbert McCauley, the production gives Fannie Lou Hamer’s story the force of testimony, music, and memory.

Set during the 1960's Civil Rights Movement, “Fannie” carries the audience through the remarkable life of Fannie Lou Hamer—from her childhood picking cotton to her courageous fight for the right to vote, her tireless work encouraging others to register, and her own historic run for office. What primarily moves those at Chester who learn Fannie's story most is not only the scope of what Hamer endured, but the strength she kept returning to: faith, hope, humor, and determination. 

Her story brings the injustices of the era into sharp focus while celebrating a woman whose courage, voice, and unshakable spirit still feel necessary.

As Fannie, Shannon Lamb does more than command the stage—she makes history feel immediate. Whether she is offering warm Southern hospitality, delivering a stirring speech, or reliving the frightening and brutal moments Hamer witnessed and endured, Lamb fully opens a first-hand view into the world of the Civil Rights Movement.
 

With remarkable energy, powerful storytelling, and a beautiful voice that carries the songs of the era, she turns the theatre into a pulpit of witness and song, complete with heartfelt Amens and Hallelujahs.

Kevin Sharpe’s musical accompaniment deserves special recognition. His playing helps shape the emotional rhythm of the production, moving from moments that make audience members want to stand up and rejoice to quieter passages that ask listeners to be steady and listen.

Jeremy Winchester’s scenic and projection design also leaves an impression, supporting the story with images that sharpen its emotional impact without overwhelming the audience.

Hamer’s fight still echoes in the civic life of today. This is the kind of story that belongs not only on a stage, but in classrooms, and election-year conversations. Searching for some inspiration and a little hope, “Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer” continues through July 12, 2026.

REVIEW: Chester Theatre Company, "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe"

Chester Town Hall Theatre, Chester, MA 
https://chestertheatre.org/  
June 19-28, 2026   
by Nechama Katan

 

Chester Theatre Company opens its season with a fun and exhilarating journey through the mind of one of the 20th century's great visionaries. "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe," written by D.W. Jacobs from the life, work, and writings of R. Buckminster Fuller and directed by Barbara Karger, follows the futurist, environmentalist, architect, inventor, and geodesic dome designer from his childhood in MA, to a meeting with Albert Einstein, through the extraordinary inventions that shaped his belief that doing more with less can save both humanity and the planet. 

Photo Credit: Andrew Grecco

 

More than a biography, the evening is an invitation to step out of our crazy lives for a couple of hours and see the world in a genuinely different way. The one-man-show format proves enormously enjoyable, though "one man" undersells it. Michael Preston shares the stage with a remarkable set, lighting, music, and video that he engages as though they were fellow actors, trading energy with each cue and image. 

 

Preston is amazing throughout, inhabiting the material and the character so fully that Fuller comes alive in movement, dance, and a sheer love of life that radiates from the stage. He draws the audience in at the play's start with Fuller's own story of being unable to see until he got glasses at the age of four, of learning who people were by smelling them, and of the wonder that washed over him when he finally put on those glasses and could see the world for the first time. It is a human moment that sets the tone for everything that follows.The lines themselves are a delight, from sharp jabs at Boston life to Preston's lucid account of Ephemeralization, the accelerating ability of technological advancement to do "more and more with less and less until eventually you can do everything with nothing," an idea that clearly touches our lives today. 

 

For those who think the pace of change feels crazy now, the production offers a steadying reminder of the people who lived through the beginning of the last century, the staggering changes they witnessed, and how much there still is to learn. One example is Fuller's tireless drive to be creative, to ask questions, and to think.

 

Audience members are sure to walk into this play with a settled view of how the world works and the pace at which it changes; yet walk out as many scratch their heads, happily rethinking much of what was known isn't necessarily the case. 

Scenic design by Tim Latta and Barbara Karger's direction make the show come alive, and sound design by Raphael Hendrick-Baker adds an additional dimension that deepens the whole experience.

Chester Theatre Company's season is just kicking off, with two shows running now and many more planned. The venue sits at the end of a beautiful drive through western MA, and the drive itself is worth the trip.

REVIEW: Chester Theatre Company, “Mr. Joy”

Town Hall Theater, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through August 17, 2025

by C. L. Blacke

When Mr. Joy, a Chinese immigrant, fails to open his shoe repair shop one day, a stream of loyal customers reveals the tragic event that led to his sudden disappearance and how the saintly, elderly man touched each of their lives.

Written by Daniel Koa Beaty, “Mr. Joy” is a commentary on the struggles of a Harlem community with Mr. Joy providing the nexus. The play grapples with systemic racism, gang culture, homelessness, AIDS, and Black Lives Matter. That’s a lot to pack into one play while also offering levity and inspiration. What “Mr. Joy” does not do, however, is tackle the real issues of personal responsibility and social justice or offer any solutions. 

Despite the story’s flaws, Godfrey Simmons’ performance is powerful and riveting. In this one-actor play, nine characters are revealed through therapy sessions, group meetings, and direct engagement with the audience. With just small changes in gait and posture, vocal inflection, and the way he utilizes a messenger bag and black apron, Simmons effortlessly embodies each distinct character (a gangsta granny, an 11-year old girl with AIDS, a rich Black republican businessman, Mr. Joy’s Chinese-American son, a 15-year old revolutionary poet, and a nerdy teen opera singer).

Director Vernice Miller harnesses Simmons’ dynamic power and expansive acting skills and unleashes them in the most uncompromising way—with a presence that fills the theatre and demands attention.

The energy is palpable, but so is the discomfort.

It isn’t just because of stereotypical caricatures (blonde, white women with Kim Kardashian butts and transsexuals who act like drag queens), or that the house lights remain on through a good portion of the 100-minute play (better to see Simmons moving around the theatre by), or even that the shop windows and door of Mr. Joy’s store are mirrored to reflect the audience’s faces (Jeremy Winchester’s subtle insinuation that we, as a society, are to blame?). It’s because audience members are singled out by James, the intimidating homeless painter. Are they supposed to provide spare change or offer up their snacks when asked? And how are they supposed to feel when told to “F--- off” in front of everyone? Perhaps the predominantly white senior citizen audience is not the best fit for this dramatic technique.

Whatever inconsistencies “Mr. Joy” presents, Simmons, under Miller’s direction, closes out Chester Theatre Company’s 36th season with yet another powerhouse performance worthy of every standing ovation.

REVIEW: Chester Theatre Company, “A Hundred Words for Snow”

Town Hall Theater, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through July 13, 2025

by C. L. Blacke

 

Equity actor Hero Marguerite (“Big Big Sky,” “Circle Mirror Transformation”) returns to Chester to deliver a top-notch performance as 15-year-old Rory in “A Hundred Words for Snow.” She deftly traverses the range of adolescence, exhibiting all the impulsiveness, self-consciousness, and eternal optimism of a teenage girl. Her performance is infused with humor, anger, sorrow, and an energy that fills the theater.

 

Written by Tatty Hennessy, “A Hundred Words for Snow” is an exploration of Rory’s solo adventure to scatter her dad’s ashes at the North Pole. On the surface, it is a coming-of-age story that navigates Rory’s sudden parental loss, her new-found independence, her first sexual encounter, and her experience as a teenage girl in an ever-changing world.

 

But beneath that constantly shifting sea is a diverse ecosystem. Rory’s monologue delves into a complex study of grief, climate change, and a search for spiritual connection with women past, present, and future. Her narrative is interspersed with facts about Arctic geography, famous Polar explorers, and the Inuit people, providing both context and emotional depth.

 

And just as the Inuit’s oral storytelling has preserved their cultural history and explained their connection with nature, “A Hundred Words for Snow” follows the same tradition. Depicted in short vignettes, it is the story of Rory and her dad (and eventually her mum) passed along through memories of the journey, not to mention dispelling some myths along the way.

 

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this play is the masterful hand of director Michelle Ong-Hendrick—masterful because the audience can’t see her hand in it at all; it is her invisible guidance and imagination that provides the space for Marguerite to create the illusion of Rory’s quest. Ong-Hendrick directs not only Marguerite as Rory but also Rory’s portrayal of all the other characters who she encounters. With a change in pitch, accent, and body positioning, Marguerite never misses a beat or loses the audience.

 

Marguerite isn’t just a great dramatic actor; she’s a great physical actor, too. She expertly manipulates the limited set pieces with agility and grace. Jeremy Winchester’s spare scenic design transforms in her capable hands. As she climbs, jumps, and moves the props around on stage, a steel chair becomes a campfire, an aluminum ladder an icebreaker ship, and white plastic sheeting the frozen Arctic landscape.

 

In all ways, “A Hundred Words for Snow” takes the audience on an epic adventure.

Review: Chester Theatre, "Magdelene"

Town Hall Theater, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through June 29, 2025

by C. L. Blacke

 

Under direction of new Co-Artistic Directors, Michelle Ong-Hendrick and Christoper Baker, Chester Theatre Company’s 36th season opens with Mark St. Germain’s powerful and persuasive new play, “Magdalene”. It is a riveting story of the profound faith and wisdom of the Catholic religion but also its “obvious and illogical sexism.” 

No stranger to Chester, Director Keira Naughton brings this provocative play to life, seamlessly delivering the audience from outright laughter to a welling of tears. With sharp wit, familiar parables, and honest discourse, St. Germain’s play explores the anger, frustration, and untold trauma of Mary Magdalene that is at once poignant and believable.

“Magdalene” takes place 18-years after the death of Christ, when a desperate and confused Peter seeks the advice of the one person closer to Jesus than even him, Mary Magdalene. Jealous, not only of her relationship with Jesus and her understanding of His teachings, Peter confides that he is lost and unsure of how to continue preaching, especially in the face of a new self-proclaimed apostle taking up the role.

Equity actor Adam LeFevre portrays the aging apostle with a sense of humility and honesty, endearing him to the audience as he fully embraces his character’s simple, yet stubborn nature. His tone and mannerisms quietly display Peter’s regret and staunch adherence to tradition, leaving no doubt of Peter’s eventual martyrdom and subsequent sainthood.

As the title suggests, Equity actor Danielle Skraastad's is the true star of the show. She is neither meek nor mild, but a fierce proponent of truth and equality. She lives both independently and as a revered member of the community. With a gorgeous set designed by Juliana von Haubrich, the audience is immediately immersed in Mary’s world—a humble room of aged stucco, crude furnishings, woven textiles, and dried herbs. It is an inviting and sacred space built on strong convictions, deep faith, and enduring perseverance.

Skraastad’s presence on stage commands attention. She is a conduit for Mary’s story and a voice for all women and girls that must be heard. With numerous Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional credits to her name, Skraastad brings the fight for gender equality straight to the people, and her performance is nothing short of miraculous. Whether religious or not, Catholic or not, one will leave “Magdalene” with a new hero.

REVIEW: Chester Theatre Company, “Big Big Sky”

Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA

https://chestertheatre.org

through August 18, 2024

by C. L. Blacke

Photo by Andrew Greto

From London, UK to Chester, MA comes “Big Big Sky,” a tender reflection on grief, community, and the healing power of nature. Tom Wells’ play is set in the seaside village of Kilnsea, East Yorkshire, where everyone knows each other and favorite pastimes include line dancing and bird watching. The action is staged solely in Angie’s Cafe, only open during tourist season, and is a haven for lost souls seeking respite and new beginnings.

It’s no wonder, then, that Angie (Meghan Maureen McDonough,) is the anchor of this play, providing comfort to her patrons with a pot of peppermint tea and plate of pasty and beans. She is the consummate nurturer, cheerleader, and symbol of eternal optimism, despite her own problems. McDonough brings in spades her experience in stage, film, and television while also bringing the house to tears in a powerful scene fraught with raw emotion.

As Angie watches, locals, Lauren and father Dennis (Equity actors Hero Marguerite and James Barry, respectively) play out their family drama as only a headstrong young woman and a father entombed in misery can—with barbs and general avoidance. Barry’s performance lends everything to this story—the neurotic fragility of a grieving husband, the unshakable strength of a father when needed most, and even a proper Yorkshire accent. The gravity of Barry’s performance remains onstage even when he doesn’t.

In Lauren’s rare moment of vulnerability, Marguerite, a Berkshire Theatre Awards Nominee, sings a haunting song while in search of human connection that she hasn’t felt since her mother’s death.

Enter Ed (Abuzar Farrukh), the newcomer in search of a job, who is a self-affirmed vegan, nature enthusiast, and simpleton. Always a delight, Farrukh, who starred in last year’s “Guards at the Taj,” excels in portraying Ed’s childlike wonder and playfulness and brings a slice of cheeky humor, great compassion, and a vegan brownie into the mix.

Director James Warwick’s love for this story and familiarity with the Yorkshire country as a native of England is evident throughout. His use of ballad “Scarborough Fair,” adapted by Nathan Leigh, sets the melancholy tone, while the quintessential English cafe, designed by Ed Check, provides a cheery juxtaposition for the characters to move about both naturally and with purpose. Nothing about this production seems staged or overlooked. “Big Big Sky” has a big big heart and the perfect play for any Anglophile.

REVIEW: Chester Theatre Company, “Will Sacrifice”

Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA

https://chestertheatre.org

through August 4, 2024

by C. L. Blacke

In the wake of 9/11, Manhattanites created a mass exodus to lands beyond the metropolis, buying up property that would become a haven from the grief and trauma that surrounded them in the city.

Bridget, the 50-something-year old main character, in “Will Sacrifice” played by Catherine Lloyd Burns, is no different. Disillusioned by her corporate job, her writer’s block, and her marriage, she takes the first steps towards creating a new life for herself in the Catskills.

Photo by Andrew Greto

Enter Mr. Sunshine (Greg Stuhr). Working on his third divorce, the real estate agent becomes Bridget’s sounding board, whipping post, and confidant as she learns to navigate the ins and outs of first-time home buying (within her cash budget) and her true feelings for her out-of-work-actor husband, Nigel (Ken Cheeseman). She feels weighed down by his depression and pessimism and longs for a space to call her own where she can write poetry again.

The chemistry between Equity actors Burns and Cheeseman, with their back-and-forth bickering and quiet moments of tenderness, carries the play. Burns, who has starred in TV, film, and theater, as well as the author of three published books, transitions seamlessly between a shove on the shoulder, a gentle touch of the hand, and a well of tears in her eyes. Cheeseman, with numerous roles in regional theater, off-Broadway productions, and film, emotes the vulnerability and cantankerousness of growing old with all of its complex nuances. He particularly shines in his final scenes as Nigel navigates the onset of dementia.

Whether depicting the cramped NYC apartment, real estate office, or little blue house in the Catskills, Travis George’s scenic design features an entire set made of cardboard boxes. With just a spin of two flatbeds, the set captures not only the claustrophobic anxiety of NYC living, but also the impermanence of life and the way one can box up both their hopes and fears against the threat of failure.

This world premiere of “Will Sacrifice”, written by Julie McKee and directed by Keria Naughton (a 2019 nominee for Best Direction of a Play by the Berkshire Critics Association), is funny, tragic, and relatable on every level (especially for the over-50 crowd). It explores loss of self, loss of dreams, loss of health, and loss of loved ones. But it also shows that loss is merely another form of change, and with change comes renewed hope and dreams.

REVIEW: Chester Theatre Company, “The Thin Place”

Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA

https://chestertheatre.org

through June 30, 2024

by C. L. Blacke

Photo by Andrew Greto

Chester Theatre Company’s 2024 season opener, “The Thin Place,”, written by Obie Award winner Lucas Hnath, weaves a complex tapestry of psychological and supernatural elements. The minimalist stage design—a stark setting of two chairs, small table, and a single red light bulb against black walls—creates an intimate atmosphere ripe for the unfolding of a ghost story that blurs the line between reality and illusion.

Immediately breaking the fourth wall, Hilda, embodied by Tara Franklin with a childlike naivety and openness to belief, holds a haunting conversation with the audience about the bond she once held with her grandmother. Their relationship had been marked by an attempt at psychic communication that was met with disapproval and labeled as “demonic” by Hilda’s mother. Soon after, tragedy befell the grandmother (who remains nameless throughout) and a sudden mystery surrounding Hilda’s mother adds another layer of intrigue and unanswered questions.

As Hilda grapples with familial loss, she explains how she found solace in Linda, the cheeky (and foul-mouthed) medium to the thin place, portrayed by Diane Prusha. Linda becomes a friend and a replacement for the maternal figures Hilda has lost and offers comfort through supposed communications with the deceased grandmother. 

The story itself is told in a retrospective style with little action happening in the present time. Instead, characters come to life to deliver their dialogue at the appropriate intervals. And though the greater part of the play unfolds slowly, “The Thin Place” intensifies as conflicts arise during a dinner party. Linda and friends Sylvia and Jerry (played by Equity actors Syliva McKown and Jordan Bellow, respectively) argue about the morality of telling lies vs. the truth.

Director Gabrielle Farrah, former Directing Fellow at Playwrights Horizons and Producing Fellow at Clubbed Thumb, employs a splattering of classic horror conventions as the play progresses that heightens the suspense. Likewise, technical elements, such as disturbing lighting techniques and jarring sound effects, are also used to strike sudden bouts of fear.

The climax more than fulfills the play’s initial promise of a chilling atmosphere, and a feeling of unease sticks with the audience long after they have clutched the edge of their seats for the last time.

REVIEW: Chester Theatre Company, “Circle Mirror Transformation”

Town Hall Theatre, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through August 20, 2023

by C. L. Blacke

Photo by Andrew Greto

Closing out its 34th season, Chester Theatre Company once again pays homage to the
dramatic arts with its production of Annie Baker’s “Circle Mirror Transformation.”

As one of the playwright’s four plays set in the fictional town of Shirley, VT, “Circle Mirror” world-premiered Off-Broadway in 2009 and won the Obie Award for Best New American Play in 2010.

It studies, in microcosm, a six-week community acting class portrayed through a series of vignettes. Perfectly awkward silences, stilted sentences, and lost trains of thought dominate this play as four very different and very dysfunctional individuals, led by an equally damaged instructor, participate in games, trust activities, and dramatic exercises meant to develop acting skills. What they can’t know is that they will learn more about themselves through this class and each other than they would even after years of psychotherapy.

The entirety of the play takes place in the dance studio of a community center. Smartly designed by Juliana von Haubrich, the windowless room leaves little place for insecurities to hide. With an exit door on one wall and a full-length mirror opposite, each participant must make a choice—escape before their darkest secrets are exposed or face the mirror and begin their transformation.

The ensemble cast of five includes Marty (played by Corinna May), the self-proclaimed spiritual healer/acting teacher, her hippie husband James (Alex Draper), a lonely, divorced carpenter named Schultz (Joel Ripka), a flirty, former actress named Theresa (Tara Franklin), and a high school student-cum aspiring actress-cum hopeful veterinarian Lauren (Hero Marguerite). Each character is vital to the story (and to each other’s), and no actor is upstaged.

Working in perfect synchronicity, the cast must endure uncomfortable interactions (think: waiting to be noticed by someone absorbed in their cell phone) while expressing a range of emotions. They must also feed off of each other’s energy (when impersonating a baseball glove and stuffed snake) and rely solely on subtext (while having a conversation using only the words “goulash” and “ak-mak”).

That each moment is engaging and feels true to life is a testament to the excellent direction of Daniel Kramer. No stranger to Baker’s plays (he directed the 2018 CTC production of “The Aliens”), Kramer’s experience is evident. This production is fun and funny (provoking laughter in all the right places), subtle and well-paced (coming it at a mere 95-minutes), and a gentle reminder that despite their emotional baggage, everyone deserves attention and love.  

Review: Chester Theater, "Guards at the Taj"

Town Hall Theater, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through July 16, 2023

by C. L. Blacke

Guards at the Taj is the exploration of a horrific and bloody legend surrounding the completion of the Taj Mahal in 1648 India that raises the philosophical and ethical complexities about what beauty is and what human price is paid trying to achieve it. The play is much more than that. It is a compelling story of what director Reena Dutt describes as “brotherhood, loyalty, honor, and dreams that unravel on stage.” It is also must-see theatre.

Photo by Andrew Greta

Written by Rajiv Joseph with a mixture of contemporary speech and traditional Indian
language, Guards was the 2016 Lortel Winner for Best Play and won the Obie Award for Best New American play in the same year. The playwright perfectly paces moments of laugh-out-loud humor against quiet moments of despair and explosions of anger.

Equity actors Abuzar Farrukh (Babur) and Ruchir Khazanchi (Humayun) portray low-level imperial guards, who are tasked with the impossible duty of guarding the Taj Mahal without looking at it. Babur, like an overactive, annoying little brother, is full of big dreams and wild inventions. His energy is so contagious that even Humayan, the serious, rigid, curmudgeon-like best friend, can’t resist trading jokes and gossip for long. Despite their jovial camaraderie, the dark heart of the play slowly unfolds, and their friendship is cruelly tested.

Farrukh’s depth and breadth of emotion is stellar. From his bawdy antics with a twinkle of innocent wonder to his tortured writhing onstage, he is never more committed to his role than in Babur’s guilt-ridden anguish over the atrocities he was forced to commit.

It is also in this scene—when Humayan tenderly washes Babur’s bloody face, humming an achingly eerie song—where Khazanchi’s finest moment is captured, and the audience witnesses the true meaning of brotherhood.

With the re-configuration of a sandstone wall, designed by Travis George, the guard post and prison are wholly atmospheric. Naveen Bhatia’s sound design is heard in the call of jungle birds and the haunting cries of torture between scenes, and James McNamara’s subtle use of pale, shifting light mimics the approaching dawn just as beautifully as the smoky haze of fire casts the prison in the color of blood.

Uniting all the elements of must-see theatre, the director makes the story of an ancient, distant people relevant to our modern society by expressing a range of human experience and emotion through ordinary men. 

REVIEW: Chester Theatre, "The Making of a Great Moment"

Town Hall Theatre, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through July 2, 2023

by C. L. Blacke

The Chester Theatre Company opens its 34th season with Peter Sinn Nachtrieb’s spectacularly zany play, "The Making of a Great Moment". This homage to the theatre, complete with a play within a play, humorously explores the sacrifices artists make for their craft and questions whether those sacrifices are worth it or not.

While there have been many great plays about the theatre, what sets this one apart is that it
takes place on bicycles in New Hampshire while camping. (And yes, the actors do “ride” bicycles on stage.) As incongruous as these elements seem, they provide ample opportunity for action, humor, introspection, and a vehicle (pun intended) to show the passage of time and place. On a deeper level, these elements also symbolize the arduous and lonely journey an artist makes to deliver a meaningful and worthwhile performance to every audience.

"The Making of a Great Moment" follows the on and offstage journey of two actors, Terry Dean and Mona Barnes, played respectively by Equity actors Bill Bowers (the great American mime) and Esther Williamson, as they tour their two-person, four-hour show, entitled “Greatest Moments in Human Achievement”. But when they are not hilariously portraying underrated moments in history and the people who achieved them, Terry and Mona contemplate under the night sky the validity of their profession, the meaning of success, and the self-doubt that inevitably arises.

This play and “Greatest Moments” both utilize all of the best characteristics of comedy, including verbal, physical, and prop. Bowers and Williamson (and indeed, Terry and Mona) play off each other almost flawlessly so that one can’t recognize the difference between the characters’ ad lib and the actors’. Stagehands who provide several functions onstage (including as backup dancers) only add to the belly laughs and deserve a round of applause of their own. While "The Making of a Great Moment" is a comedy through and through, this production also serves to remind us that we have the power to ad lib any situation and turn it into a life-changing moment.

James Barry, the Co-Producing Artistic Director, could not have chosen a more poignant play to make his directorial debut at Chester Theatre. His production holds both esteemed reverence for the artists who devote their lives to the craft and sincere gratitude for the audiences who allow them to experience these great moments together. And together we shall.

Preview: Chester Theatre, "Birds of North America"

Chester Theatre, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

July 7 - 17, 2022

Binoculars. Birds. A Baltimore backyard. Over the course of a decade, a father and daughter navigate the changes in the climate and in their relationship as the world around them shifts in ways both towering and minute.

Actress Micheline Wu and Director Alex Keegan make their Chester Theatre Company debuts. Christopher Patrick Mullen, last seen on the Town Hall Stage in 2004's The Pavilion, returns as the dad in this beautifully touching daughter-father play.

MDTheatreGuide says Birds of North America is "beautifully crafted" and "should be on your must-see list."

Box office phones are open Tuesday - Friday from 11am - 3pm. Tickets can be purchased online 24/7. Remember Covid policies.

PREVIEW: Chester Theatre Company, "Birds of North America"

Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

July 7 through July 17, 2022

Chester Theatre Company (CTC) opens Birds of North America by Anna Ouyang Moench, “a beautiful look at a father and daughter who find in birding a surprising way to connect—to understand more about themselves, each other, and the changing world around them,” in the words of CTC Producing Artistic Director Daniel Elihu Kramer.

Director Alex Keegan makes her CTC debut. Christopher Patrick Mullen, last seen on the Town Hall Theatre stage in 2004’s The Pavilion, co-stars with Micheline Wu, making her first appearance in Chester.

Birds of North America is the company’s second of four productions in its 33rd season. Future productions include the play that reopened Broadway, Pass Over by Antoinette Nwandu, and the World Premiere of To the Moon and Back by Darcy Parker Bruce.

All performances of the productions named above will take place in the intimate setting of Chester's Historic Town Hall chestertheatre.org, or by phone at 413.354.7771. 

 

Founded by a former Artistic Director of Dublin’s Abbey Theatre, Vincent Dowling, Chester Theatre Company is an award-winning professional theatre company known for presenting high quality, contemporary productions with top-notch actors, directors, and designers from across the country since 1990.

PREVIEW: Chester Theatre at Hancock Shaker Village, The Niceties

Chester Theatre at Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

July 14 – 25, 2021

By Shera Cohen

To be clear, this piece on "The Niceties" is not a review, but a quasi-preview. A preview is the last or one of the last performances of rehearsal prior to the play's official opening. Chester's temporary Covid-dictated home at Hancock Shaker Village is an ideal venue for performances -- previews and full-fledged plays. The large white tent is magnificent with more seats than in the actual playhouse in Chester. With an elevated stage, sight lines give the audience full view.

In the case of "The Niceties," it seems that very few suggestions could possibly be made to improve the production. Oftentimes, audience members attend two-character plays and immediately scratch them off of their "to see" list. That is a shame.

The full crew is on-board for a preview, doing their jobs as precisely as if "The Niceties" was a bona fide production. Being titled "preview" takes nothing away from the professionalism called for by all onstage and backstage. 

"The Niceties," the play's title, refers to the polite mores between humans; in this case an older female professor and her female student. Politeness escalates for the teacher (Caucasian) and her pupil (Black). The setting is today. This is a long and difficult piece of theatre for the duo, each of whom are excellent actors. There is lots of potential for this play.

However, a huge deluge accompanied by thunder and lightning, prematurely ended the play by 20-minutes. Chester had planned, and perhaps even rehearsed its rain plan, beginning with a crew-person's voice over the actors telling the audience of an impending large storm. Like school children we followed directions orderly. All were offered numerous alternatives to return, receive a refund, consider their ticket price a donation. No one left disappointed. 

2021 is a year of flexible rules; Covid in particular. The theatre-going audiences seem to take it all in stride. The masks mute some of the laughter, but that is to be expected. Chester Theatre, along with Hampshire Shaker Village, certainly had their act together. No chances were taken, and everyone was safe.

The rainstorm was particularly annoying because Chester's plays are only produced for one week. Lost performances are upsetting for all.

Review: Chester Theater Company, Curve of Departure

Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through August 18, 2019

by Stacie Beland and Hilde Axelson

Curve of Departure, by Rachel Bonds, is an extraordinary play that is beautifully brought to life under Keira Naughton and through its performers, who portray a snapshot of a family. The set, lighting, and sound design allow us to truly feel as though we are inside a small New Mexico hotel room. Tiny details—such as flashes of blue as a family member watches TV and the many bottles of medications, visible but not prominently displayed, tucked near the bathroom sink—allow us to become fully engrossed in what unfolds before us.

Fascinatingly, there is no antagonist in the script, though it is not without conflict. It is a simple study, a slice of American life and daily struggle. We first meet Rudy and Linda as Linda is ironing Rudy’s funeral clothes in the room. Rudy’s son, Linda’s ex-husband, has passed. Linda, despite the divorce, has remained a dedicated caretaker and companion to her ex-father-in-law. They are eagerly anticipating the arrival of Felix, Linda’s son and Rudy’s grandson. Felix is expected to arrive with his boyfriend, Jackson. As we wait for the boys to arrive, it becomes clear that Rudy is struggling with some unnamed form of dementia; he is struggling with memory loss and is burdened by a body that is turning against him. Linda remains upbeat and unflappable. When the boys arrive, it is revealed that they are caring for and potentially adopting Jackson’s niece, something for which Felix feels unprepared.

Ami Brabson’s is a wonder as Linda. She is a woman on the edge, but is never hesitant to speak her mind and offer advice. Whether cheerfully escorting Rudy to the bathroom, cleaning him, or counseling both Felix and Jackson, all among the undercurrent of her ex-husband’s death and having to face his “new family,” she is the glue that holds this night (and morning) together. When she finally breaks down, it is decidedly well earned. Her portrayal is stunning.

Raye Birk, as the aging and curmudgeonly Rudy, portrays his character with perfect precision in loveable dotage. When Rudy reveals his plans for the future, we grieve with his family but also cheer for what may be his last assertion of his wishes. He is a man that has lost so much, but not so much that he’s ignorant to the loss itself. Birk is a fantastic in this role.

As Jackson and Felix, Jose Espinosa and Paul Pontrelli (respectively), are an engaging couple. Truly, Pontrelli’s Felix steals the show and somewhat overshadows Espinosa’s Jackson. Pontrelli’s intensity on the stage is unmatched; there is never a moment where he isn’t completely engaged in what is happening around him. His subtle facial expressions and barely perceptible nervous affectations combine to form a well-rounded, highly believable character.

Truly, upon seeing this performance, one cannot help but leave the theater and want to spend more time with this family, to somehow ingratiate oneself into their fictional lives—you develop such a care and concern for all of them that, upon waking the next day, you want to call them to make sure they’re okay. It is a fantastic, highly believable performance.

Review: 2 Summer Theatres Tackle Tough Topics

The 2 plays reviewed below are serious and scary presentations of contemporary life that may or may not affect their audiences. At the very least, they will cause thought and conversation on what, hopefully, will be a deep level.

Review: Chester Theatre Company, On the Exhale

Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through August 4, 2019

Photo by Andrew Greto

It’s not all fun, fluff, and fantasy on the theatre stages this Berkshire summer of 2019.

Chester Theatre Company’s “On the Exhale” essentially depicts a replica of the Sandy Hook, horrific story from one woman’s point of view; from a mother of a victim. While not a news story or didactic lesson, Woman (she has no name because she could be any woman) takes her audience on a slow walk through the points in her life that lead her to the most important role in her life as a mother.

Actress Tara Franklin possesses Woman in this taught, emotional, intelligent play by Martin Zimmerman. She becomes the embodiment of her role, sometimes with a keen look or fake smile, addressing her audience as “you” rather than “I.” Woman hopes to separate as much as she can from the death of her son by telling her story, implying that this, too, could happen to you and your precious child.

Two suggestions: shorten the script with snippets here and there and add music and/or sounds; i.e. school bell ringing, soft murmuring conversations, gunshots.

The story and a good deal of the language are predictable. However, Franklin’s tour de force performance gives Chester Theatre something and someone to be very proud of.

Review: Shakespeare & Company, The Children

Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA

www.shakespeare.org

through August 18, 2019

by Shera Cohen

Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Shakespeare & Company’s “The Children” should be taken just as seriously as “On the Exhale.” The play’s off-stage setting is a nuclear plant. Two of the three adults live nearby, another visits. They speak a lot about children, one in particular, but the fact that the audience does not actually see any child onstage is foreshadowing that the world of this trio (not to mention all of those inhabiting the planet) is far from perfect.

Diane Prusha (Hazel) and Jonathan Epstein (Robin) portray a middle-aged married couple, both past employees at a nuclear plant in England whose lives have been grossly affected by the atmospheric problems of the day and the future. Robin pretends to himself that all is not as bad as seen. Hazel is more of a realist. Enter Ariel Bock (Robin’s lover Rose). More importantly, Rose’s purpose is what leads the story on a path of destruction; or path to thwart destruction? The audience can answer that question.

Each actor is a longtime professional at Shakespeare & Co. who have worked together for many years. Prusha, usually a soft-spoken actress depicting women in timid roles, gives Hazel power, sincerity, and determination. Epstein’s character adds some much-needed humorous relief as bravado in a situation that will certainly fail. A suggestion would be to brush up on his English accent. Bock, who has been working in administrative capacity for some time, has been released from her day job to become the sounding board for the other characters and the spokesperson for the unseen and perhaps unborn children.

Review: Chester Theater Company, Now Circa Then

Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through July 14, 2019

by Stacie Beland

You don’t have much time left to see Chester Theater Company’s “Now Circa Then,” but you should make every effort.  The two-person performance shines. The play centers on two modern-day actors who, as historical re-enactors, portray a couple in the New York City Tenement Museum.  It is funny and engaging.

Photo by Andrew Greto

We first meet Gideon (portrayed by Luke Hofmaier) and Margie (Lilli Hokama) on their first day of work.  Margie is obviously unengaged in her role as Josephine; Gideon’s entire young life seems to have been dedicated to recreating history. The mismatched pair clashes immediately, and Hofmaier and Hokama shine as they slip in and out of vignettes depicting their scripted museum roles (engaging the Chester Theater audience directly, as Josephine and Julien) to the modern-day awkwardness of being very different co-workers.

In a show that centers on connection—to oneself, to the modern-day world, to one’s past, to one another—Hofmaier and Hokama are brilliant as they show the ebb and flow of growth of Gideon and Margie as people.  Hokama’s facial expressions and her impeccable comic timing elevate what could be a standard-form rom-com script to heights that may not have been reached by another actor. Hofmaier, too, proves himself a master at comedic pauses, lending a great deal of life to his role of a person firmly dedicated to dusty history.

Under Sean Christopher Lewis’ direction, we watch the relationship between Gideon and Margie develop. We become aware of how similar they are to the characters they portray. Margie struggles to understand the character of Josephine, who, like her, is trying to find her way in a city to which they both just moved. Gideon has lived a life of privilege (marked by a significant loss) growing up in NYC, but clings to his role as Julien and all the scripted, predictable lines that come with it.  Margie seems to feel everything, she wants to experience everything, and she wants to matter. Gideon wants to stick to a predictable script, both as Julien and in his real life. Like magnets, they sometimes attract and sometimes repel one another. The result is a lovely tale of a couple whose inter-personal relationship we are uninterested in, while rooting instead for the development of Margie and Gideon as individuals.

Additionally helpful are the beautiful set design by Lara Dubin and the lovely scenic design of David Towlun. Timing in-between vignettes is well choreographed, however at times needlessly long.

REVIEW: Chester Theatre Company, The Aliens

Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through August 19, 2018

by Mary Fernandez-Sierra

In his curtain speech before the show, CT’s Producing Artistic Director Daniel Elihu Kramer (also the production’s Director) suggests that the audience may need to keep an open mind during the performance of this thought-provoking play. “The Aliens” is a story about remarkable people who don’t necessarily fit into “normal” parameters, and what befalls those who ask only that the world allow them to fit in as they choose.

The three actors in this fine production handle their roles sensitively and naturally; it is lovely to see performers skilled enough to express character through silence as well as dialogue. Each one creates a unique persona in their roles, and a camaraderie that bridges the differences between them.

Photo by Elizabeth Solaka

As writer Jasper, James Barry reveals a rough and roguish outside and poetry within. His reading of an original piece about his own life wanderings, as well as excerpts from the writings of Charles Bukowski, are inspired. Barry brings a wonderful Mad Hatter charm to his role, and palpable strength and devotion to his relationship with the more vulnerable KJ.

Irresistible charm, extraordinary gifts, and human frailty and complexity shine in the performance of Joel Ripka as KJ. This actor portrays a somewhat tragic figure with grace and often glee, especially when he sings. He never crosses the line which might make the character feeble; instead, his performance gives life and light to KJ, and credence to the affection which the others so clearly hold for him.

Some of the finest moments occur in Paul Pontrelli’s portrayal of Evan, a young man closer to the customary definition of normal, who is drawn into an unlikely friendship with the others. Pontrelli’s comic timing, combined with his ability to share raw emotion, tis a joy to behold. Winning and authentic, he is a perfect foil for the unusual duo he befriends.

Simple and effective costumes by Stella Schwartz reflect the characters beautifully, subtle lighting designed by Lara Dubin, stunning sets by designer Ed Check, on-point sound by Tom Shread and some wonderful original music by Michael Chernus, Patch Derragh and Erin Gann all add to the power and sweetness of this story.

Director Kramer allows the tale to unfold in quiet ways, giving the audience much more than an unusual theatre experience that can open minds; “The Aliens” is about opening hearts as well. With all its fine production elements, excellent performances and moving story line, this show does just that.

Note: “The Aliens” ended the outstanding Chester Theatre’s summer season. Due to unforeseen circumstances, this review could not be posted in a timely manner. However, it is important to inform our readers about regional productions, no matter what the date.