Ordinary Days
Hats off to South Coast Repertory for supporting and developing
new works and new playwrights. Last year, we applauded SCR for its
world premiere of "The Happy Ones." This year, it kicks off with
the West coast premiere of "Ordinary Days."
Written by Adam Gwon (winner of the 2008 Fred Ebb Award for
excellence in musical theater songwriting), "Ordinary Days" is far
from ordinary. The story of four people who move to New York in
search of their future, their purpose and themselves, it is so
honest--so down to earth and heart-felt--you'll love it.
There have been so many musicals about "New York, New York, that
wonderful town," you won't be surprised to find the city itself as a
character in Gwon's work. From it's bustling sidewalks to its
magnificent skyline, from the Metropolitan Museum to the corner
Starbucks, from its crowded subways to a backseat taxi, the Big
Apple means different things to different people at different times
in their lives. Following in the footsteps of Stephen Sondheim, and
plumbing the plaintive subtext of Jason Robert Brown, Gwon is a new
talent that deserves your attention.
Before we describe the fabulous performers in this musical, or
Ethan McSweeny's dynamic direction of it, we have to give credit
to Fred Kinney's incredible set design. My God, what a theatrical
feat he accomplished!
Starting out as a stark, barren street near a subway entrance,
the stage morfs back and forth into a university dorm room, an East
Village apartment, Central Park, a back-seat cab, a subway train,
and many galleries in the Metropolitan Art Museum.
Put four outstanding actors on that stage under Lonnie Rafael
Alcaraz's spectacular light design; place Dennis Castellano at the
piano; throw in Jason Thompson's terrific urban video projections,
and Voila! The magic of theater takes place before your eyes.
The characters appear, one by one, singing directly to the
audience. They introduce themselves, and then confess their dreams, fears,
and follies, before they interact with anyone else in the city.
There's no-nonsense Deb, a feisty frustrated grad student from
New Jersey. Deborah Craig is fantastic as this hyper-tense, over-
strung, opinionated young woman who loses the notes for her
Master Thesis and goes bananas. Deb hates New York and can't
wait to leave it.
There's nerdy Warren (the sweet, endearing Nick Gabriel), an
optimistic, laid-back, wanna-be artist who housesits for a painter
who's locked up in jail. During the day he wanders the streets
handing out inspirational fliers and retrieving lost treasures--and
wonder of wonders!--he discovers Deb's notebook. True to his
character, Warren loves New York and everything in it.
Next we meet Jason, who only planned to be in the city for a
year; but he falls head-over-heels for Claire and changes his mind.
By moving in with her, Jason dreams of staying forever. With a strong
stage voice and electrifying delivery, handsome David Burnham is
perfectly cast as Gwon's romantic character.
And finally there's Claire. Nancy Anderson certainly fits the bill
as the beautiful girl of Jason's dreams. She's beautiful to look at and
delightful to be with, but secretly she's deeply troubled. Everything
goes smoothly until Jason proposes, then Claire freaks out and runs away.
How these four disparate characters meet, interact, work out their
differences and relate to each other--and how important, how very special,
each and every ordinary day can be--is the subject of this delightful,
insightful musical.
"Ordinary Days" continues at South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center
Dr., Costa Mesa, on Tues-Sun until Jan. 24. Ticket information is at
(714) 708-555, or on line at www.scr.org