Theater Review: "Indecent" at Playhouse on Park

By Nancy Sasso Janis

Playhouse on Park in West Hartford is presenting an excellent production of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel’s “Indecent,” the true story of a little Jewish play. The play continues through Feb. 26 as part of the Playhouse’s 14th Main Stage Season, the theme of which is Perseverance. This season highlights stories of fighters and survivors, to coincide with the Playhouse’s journey of persevering through the pandemic

Playhouse on Park has made it their mission to offer a wide range of thought-provoking, inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable professional theater productions that leave audiences often smiling, sometimes crying, and always talking about what they have just experienced. The choice of “Indecent” is a bold one that undoubtedly meets that criteria.

The play with music tells the explosive and deeply moving story of the controversial 1923 Broadway debut of Jewish playwright Sholem Asch’s “God of Vengeance.” The play-within-a-play is about a forbidden lesbian romance that both enchanted and outraged audiences of the time. The script addresses anti-Semitism, homophobia, the struggles of many immigrants and the censorship of art, all of which are still relevant today.

Contemporary audiences are invited to follow the path of the artists who risked their careers in order to perform Asch’s play. The script actively pays tribute to the Yiddish, immigrant families, Jews, theater makers, and the women, specifically the queer women, who are erased from historical narratives. “Indecent” is a riveting backstage drama filled with music, groundbreaking theater, and some impressive stage magic.

“Indecent” was commissioned by Yale Repertory Theatre in New Haven and Oregon Shakespeare Festival and was originally produced by Yale Rep and La Jolla Playhouse. It eventually moved to Broadway.

This production is directed by Kelly O’Donnell, a theater and film director based in New York City who believes that theater can be a powerful tool for fostering peace. O’Donnell returns to Playhouse on Park, after having directed “The Agitators” last season. “The best way to combat censorship,” she writes, “is to make art about things that people want to censor. Otherwise, we’ll live in a world where it feels like nothing is at stake.”

The director calls this piece “a celebration of the arts” and notes that Vogel called it a “love letter to the theater.” She has a clear vision of the multitude of working parts of both the actors and the musicians and I enjoyed watching how she has woven all of the pieces together.

There is not a weak link in this talented cast, most making their Playhouse debut. Dan Zimberg enters first in the important role of Lemml, the stage manager. Noa Graham portrays the “elders,” including Vera and other female characters. Equity member Bart Shatto, the male “elder,” plays Otto and other older male characters. Not only did Shatto appear on Broadway in “War Paint” and “Les Miserables,” he was part of the original cast recording of Stephen Schwartz’s “Children Of Eden.”

Kirsten Peacock, billed as the “middle” actor, is lovely as Halina and others, with Helen Laser as “the Ingenue,” primarily playing Chana as well as many others. Laser appeared as Ethel in “The Music Man” at Sharon Playhouse. Dan Krackhardt plays the male “Ingenue,” including Avram, Asch, Morris Carnovsky and Eugene O’Neill .

Music director Alexander Sovronsky, a member of Actors’ Equity and an award-winning composer and actor/musician based in New York City, portrays Moriz Godowsky and masterfully plays violin throughout the performance. Michelle Lemon, who has appeared in four shows at the Sharon Playhouse, plays Nelly Friedman and performs on the accordion, while Jack Theiling portrays Mayer Balsam and performs on clarinet.

Choreography is by Katie Stevinson-Nollet. Johann Fitzpatrick’s scenic design is a highly functional attic turned into a stage with a few visual surprises and brings us from 1906 Warsaw, Poland to Bridgeport, CT in the 1950s, and “everywhere in between.” Costumes designed by Izzy Fields are achingly true to the period. Lighting by Joe Beumer accents the various scenes quite nicely and sound by Jeffrey Salerno is effective.

There are very helpful captions displayed on a space above the set that reveal the location of the upcoming scene in both English and Hebrew, or indicate what language the characters are using.

The play runs approximately 100 minutes and is presented without an intermission. My colleague Frank Rizzo will present a lecture on Feb. 7. There is an interesting pop up exhibit by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford in the decorated lobby. Playhouse on Park is located at 244 Park Road, West Hartford, CT 06119.

More info/tickets: https://playhouseonpark.org/.../mainstage_Indecent.html

Meredith Longo photos

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews each year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.