Review: TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS is Deeply Human at Theatrical Outfit
Tiny things, big heart.
By: Obie Outlaw Apr. 06, 2023
Picture this - bright chrome walls bedecked with a larger-than-life poster of Lee Osorio as The Poet in THE ILLIAD hold close together like a train-car lobby complete with a seating area and a new bar. Large, modern chandeliers hang overhead and even larger, dark doors beckon you into the playing space. Welcome, to the newly renovated Theatrical Outfit.
As you walk towards the stage to take your seat, you can see toys litter the Balzer Theater at Herren's. Half-read books are plunked down on nearly every available surface and the refrigerator proudly shows off toddler-made artwork in the kitchen. This set feels like a real home. Scenic designer Shannon Robert and properties designer Caroline Cook get to show off their incredible work as soon as you enter.
And you may even actually get to visit it! There are a few couches and comfy chairs on stage dedicated to audience seating. If you're able to upgrade, I highly recommend it as it's the best way to view this talented and diverse cast.
Throughout the show, music starts, stops, and swells in key moments to heighten the story. Sometimes with recognizable lyrics, most of the time simply orchestral, sound designer Mikaela Fraser's thoughtful choices create a vivid auditory landscape. You'll get to see accidental halos, bright blue phone lights, and warm washes of comfort glow on the stage during Toni Sterling's lighting design.
Kat Dezell's costume designs place the show both firmly in the now and in the believable past. Flexible and modern pieces don the Letter Writers, allowing them to be almost anybody whenever they need to be. Sugar has the most personality in her outfit, wearing a warm orange striped cardigan and comfy grey sweatpants.
Robin Bloodworth plays Letter Writer 1 and I don't think I'll ever see a grown man play a 13-year-old girl so convincingly again. Bloodworth brings a larger-than-life energy to his whole performance, during both the highs and the lows.
Letter Writer 2 is performed by the talented Candy McLellan. McLellan brings a deep, almost guttural type of storytelling that makes you feel her and not just hear her. With every heartbreak or joy she shares, you share it with her.
As the one and only Sugar herself, Maria Rodriguez-Sager gives a breathtaking performance. As Sugar thoughtfully gives advice to the Letter Writers, Rodriguez-Sager feels like a true philosopher. Her soul seems to shine as the sun onstage and you are grateful to be in her healing presence.
One of the most vulnerable performances I've seen, watching Stephen Ruffin as Letter Writer 3 felt like watching a wounded angel. In moments of hopeful reconciliation and excruciating loneliness, Ruffin gently caresses a sore nerve whenever he speaks.
So much care, attention, and kindness are given to every story that each monologue feels more like a confessional than a character. And I suppose in a way they are, as each story is based on a real one first shared in Cheryl Strayed's book Tiny Beautiful Things. Adapted by Nia Vardalos, this story shies away from no reality and gives grace to all.
The rule of threes is strong in Amber McGinnis's direction, creating both outrageously funny and devastatingly painful moments on stage. Highly immersive staging allows the actors to take their story beyond the outlined playing space and directly into the audience's hearts. For every time we cry in this show, we laugh twice as much.
There are many content warnings that come with seeing this show, and I believe it is worth the risk. If you're hoping to see something real, honest, and true then you should see TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS at Theatrical Outfit. Playing now until April 23rd, you don't want to miss this powerful moment. Yours, Salt.
TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS is playing at Theatrical Outfit from March 29th - April 23rd - get your tickets here!
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