Boy

A true very raw and tender story penned by Anna Ziegler is being presented on stage by Keen Company at The Clurman Theater on Theater Row.  At just over 90 minutes, this show packs a powerful and real punch.

Walking into the theatre, the first thing you notice is the mirror image set hanging above the real set on the floor (Sandra Goldmark).  The mirror image, only upside down.  This is much like the life of Adam Turner (Bobby Steggert).  Mr. Steggert plays the titular boy of the play - actually born a boy but after an accident during circumcision, surgically altered to a girl and raised as such by his deeply caring (if ignorant) parents.  Nobody really talked about or acted on these things and it was a time where a doctor with a theory had some sway in the public discourse.  In his teenage years, he rejected the identity and after surgery re-emerged as a boy... (mighty easy on the eyes, i might add).

Mr. Steggert plays the dual role of Samantha (growing up age 6 thru 13) and Adam (age 23) in the current time.  Through alternating flashbacks and current scenes, we see Adam today and learn of his struggle and anguish growing up.  We learn of his parents who cared dearly for him and through this play are portrayed as nothing more than caring parents who tried to do "the right thing".

Mr. Steggert alternates between a wounded man of 23 struggling to love a girl and a tortured little girl who somehow knew she didn't fit in even though she didn't know what was wrong. Tough, tender, raw are the words that come to mind repeatedly when observing Mr. Steggert in his fine portrayal of the little boy trapped inside this little girl.  Confronting the doctor later in life is an eye opening and tough scene and one could sense his trepidation in the meeting.

Supporting Mr. Steggert  aptly are his mother and father (Heidi Armbruster, Ted Koch) and the love of his life, (Jenny) Rebecca Rittenhouse.  His doctor for these many years, (Dr. Wendel Barnes) was played earnestly by Paul Niebanck.

I cannot imagine the anguish and torture this young boy must have endured growing up.  You can't blame his parents.  You can only partially blame the doctor. Although he never admits it in the play, the accusation is made that he put experiment over patient, but that is never proved or admitted, at least not in this play.

Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party

If only Chris Smith's direction was better - this play might be the hot ticket of the season.  Instead, I'm left merely pondering the potential of this soggy mid-western corn dog at the Acorn Theatre.

Don't get me wrong Aaron Loeb's play is a potential future juggernaut but its currently overloaded and slow.  There are too many story lines, too many jokes (albeit funny) that seem to pop out of nowhere.  In one sense it's a solid drama but suddenly becomes a rag tag Saturday night live skit - round and round it went.  Behind all of this is a strong, worthwhile message, but that message is diluted by the constant juggling of the story and focus.  Scene changes are laborious and too long.  The show should be cut to 90 powerfully funny minutes.  The "audience chooses the order of the 3 acts" gimmick takes precious time and is purely academic.  Unless I plan to see it all 6 different ways or do my doctoral dissertation on the show, it's useless to me as an audience member at this performance.

Acting was solid.  It's a diverse cast.  Arnie Burton steals the show as the Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Anton -  as does Stephanie Pope Caffey as Regina/Esmeralda.  Robert Hogan is a stage veteran and doesn't disappoint.  Ben Roberts, a relatively new face (and chest), certainly can play "cute (gay) mid-western boy" quite well too.

Politics, religion, education, gay rights, deception, double crossing, bigotry (oh, i already covered a few of these with politics) and the liberal media - all at once - just to name a few of the subjects covered!  At a few points, I lost track of who was screwing who.  One of my favorite scenes was the argument that ensues between the journalist (Arnie) and the black senator (Regina) when she confronts his turning "gay" into being the new "black".  Very powerful stuff packed into that dialogue.  Very powerful stuff packed into this whole play as a matter of fact.

Maybe I need to see it again?  Or maybe it just needs to be fixed so those who follow me get all they need from one great performance.  David Cote summed it up recently by saying that Broadway was the last place this play needs to be.  It belongs playing in regional theaters in small cities and towns all over America.  That's really where it's needed most.