Spotlighters' "Assassins": One Killer of a Good Time

           The Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre has never been one to skimp on controversy, an actual tenet of their company.  At the start of the show, Executive Director Fuzz Roark takes the stage to give us a hint at the 45 plus year history of "Baltimore's busiest local theatre", saying that the late Ms. Herman founded the company to provide an outlet for thought-provoking, edgy theatre in Baltimore.  And to varying degrees, they are successful (Angels in America, a recent tenant, certainly has its share of controversy, for example.)  In Assassins, the Stephen Sondheim/John Weidman musical, which opened there recently, Spotlighters may have just found the perfect compliment to its philosophy. 

          Assassins, as directed by Robert W. Oppel, is certainly thought-provoking and on-the-edge-of-your-seat-with-almost-unbearable-tension edgy.  It is a testament to the power of this production that the audience the night I attended never once applauded until the final blackout.  Only one other time in decades of theatre going have I sat in a crowded theatre (another testament to this production) afraid to breathe, blink or put my hands together for fear that the magic spell of amazingly fine live theatre might break.  Chills up and down the spine, goose pimples, and any number of other physical reactions to what is happening on the tiny Spotlighters stage are sure to hit any thoughtful theatergoer.  That the stage and playing space is so small really gives an added edge to this production – as the crazed assassins parade  before us, grinning wickedly, and looking shockingly just like us, one realizes with an almost sickening realization that either one among us could be an assassin or worse, yet, we are at point blank range to receive their wrath.  The setting for this production, designed by Peter Wood and moodily lit by Frank Miller, is a saloon rather than the typical carnival.  The hard wooden floor and paneled columns, and bar area, complete with a mirror on which images of American Presidents, a shooting gallery, and the film of JFK's killing play, surround us. 

          We are patrons observing the comings and goings of a rogue's gallery of the people who changed our history, yet somehow are never really discussed in history classes.  "Attention must be paid," John Wilkes Booth (Edward J. Peters)warns a skittish Lee Harvey Oswald (Shane Logue).  Here, you have no real other choice – you will pay attention.  At times, you may be repulsed – Booth's violent and racist diatribe against Abraham Lincoln is particularly nasty.  You may be riveted – Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme (Tammy Crisp) and John Hinckley's (Tom Burns) creepy duet "Unworthy of Your Love" sung to their beloved Charles Manson and Jodi Foster is completely mesmerizing and surprisingly touching as much as it is disgusting.  You might even find yourself pitying them – Leon Czolgosz (Jeffrey Hawks) and Giuseppe Zangara's (Chris Homberg) immigrant plight is in fact pitiable and downright un-American.  And, believe it or not, you may be quite amused – Sarah Jane Moore's (Liz Boyer Hunnicutt) ineptitude –she can't fire a gun to save her life – Charles Guiteau's (Stuart Goldstone) fey self-absorption is laugh out loud funny, and Samuel Byck's (Thom Sinn) cursing speeches are both an insult and a revelation.  (It should be noted that his decision to fly a 747 into the Nixon White House is probably more sobering now than when the piece first premiered in the early 1990's.)

          In case you might be worried that you won't have enough background to fully understand the show, Sondheim and Weidman's words are plain and details easily understood.  They are added to greatly by the specificity of Oppel's tight, tense direction, the projections used on stage and the mostly brilliant portrayals of this enormously talented cast.  Further they are aided by the excellent musical direction of Juile Parrish, who has one a remarkable job making the small offstage band sound like a lush orchestra.  It is remarkable that the entire production is simultaneously intimate and large scale.

And that talent reaches to the smallest ensemble role – Matthew Demetrides, Gregory Dorsey, Sarah Fitzpatrick, Andrew Gaver, James Hunnicutt, Elton Kieth and Laura Weiss contribute as much to the show as the principal cast, each plays a variety of roles, each creates distinct characters, and the show would be missing a lot of its heart without them, particularly in the moving "Something Just Broke", where they play every day Americans recalling where they were when JFK was shot – again, this is probably even more potent given how close we are still to 9/11.  It is particularly nice to report that the ensemble is full of local actors who have come together and are giving their all to a production worthy of their talents.  Andrew Gaver, in particular stands out in a scene where he is Booth's accomplice, and James Hunnicutt gives us a brief moment to smile as we reflect on the recently deceased Gerald Ford.  Laura Weiss, in the 3^rd recent portrayal locally of Emma Goldman, also finds warmth and strength in a difficult woman.

          Each of the assassins in the principal cast are true triple threats, singing, dancing and acting their way through what must be one of the most difficult pieces in the Sondheim canon.  Anchored by not one, but two narrator type roles, the show offers both an outsider's perspective – Ben Fisler's Balladeer comments on the action, while the Proprietor works from the inside – Kevin Kostic's Proprietor aids and abets with almost criminal glee.  Both men are strong singers (Kostic is particularly impressive; seen recently in the dull Man of La Mancha at this same venue, he has acquitted himself nicely), and both do their best to convey what are largely confusing roles.  The problem of the two points of view is a problem of the book, one never fully fleshed out by the authors, and NOT a fault of this production's actors or director.  Kostic is given more to do as he hands out props and coerces the assassins into action.  Fisler, ultimately is a sort of Jiminy Cricket, giving an increasingly unforgiving point of view – the assassins themselves get rid of him shortly before the richly satisfying finale, the rousing "Another National Anthem" and the almost scary bounce of "Everybody's Got the Right" (how odd to be tapping your foot to the time of the music with a gun aimed directly at you! – and what an amazing effect – one of many by the gifted Oppel).

          American history's two female would be assassins (Fromme and Moore – both after Gerald Ford) are played with stunning depth by the absolutely dazzling Tammy Crisp and the always amazing Liz Boyer Hunnicutt.  Crisp's shocking take on Fromme is one of the single best performances I've ever seen.  Her passion and terrifying looks glue you to your seat, unable to look away from her.  A gifted actress, she does as much with her burning eyes as she does with her entire body.  Remarkable.  Hunnicutt brings much depth and pathos to what could easily have become a one-note comic relief part.  She has amazing presence, and all at once has you laughing at her, scared by her, and pitying her.

          Charles Guiteau is played winningly by the slight Stuart Goldstone, whose small physical stature is far outweighed by his giant presence – a perfect match for an actor playing a self-absorbed guy with notions of grandeur who never realized, even as he preached from the gallows that the country was laughing at, not with him.  His well-sung, sometimes plaintive "Going to the Lordy" is frightening as you realize his last cake walk will end with a hanging. 

 Jeffrey Hawks' subdued, anger-boiling-under-the surface Czolgosz is terrifically emotional.  You have to be on his side!  His early speech about how he works in a bottle factory is deeply sad.  The other ethnic immigrant, Giuseppe Zangara is played with appropriate annoyance by Chris Homberg; his whining and bitching almost wills you to cheer when he hits the electric chair, but his final pleas are heartbreaking.  He brings a fully rounded character to the table.  The self-pitying antics of Samuel Byck are brought to life by Thom Sinn's funny, embittered and ultimately sad version of this man who talks in one commercial tag line after another, and his language is so blue you wince.  And yet, you feel something for this monster, anyway.  No small fete, Mr. Sinn.

          If there are leading roles in this play, they are perhaps the first of our country's successful assassins, John Wilkes Booth, and our country's last, Lee Harvey Oswald.  The actors playing them, Edward J. Peters and Shane Logue, respectively, both manage to walk that fine line between maniacal killer and charming everyman.  Both actors have a quiet, complimentary ease about them that is lulling in the most dangerous ways – like a pair of cobras hypnotizing their victims.  In the final scene, leading up to the JFK assassination, Edwards pleads with a profoundly confused Logue to kill so that they all might be legitimized in American history.  It speaks well of both actors that this extended, song-less scene is as riveting as any of the production numbers. 

          Everything comes to a poignant head when all of the assassins are pleading for their lives – an opportunity not given their victims, mind you.  They are not to be pitied, and yet, because they are so much like the rest of us – disenfranchised, lonely, unheard voices in a noisy sea of discord – that we are taken aback and thankful that we have not been driven to such extremes.  It is those almost shameful thoughts that we are left with as the assassins remind is the "Everybody's Got the Right" to be happy, to be heard, then calmly point their guns at us and fire.  Brilliant. 

The folks at Spotlighters have generously offered a great ticket discount to remaining performances of Assassins!  You can get tickets normally priced at $15.00 for just $10.00 each!  That's a 33% savings to a great show.  You may use the discount by mentioning BroadwayWorld.com when you reserve by phone (410-752-1225), by email (tickets@spotlighters.org), at the box office (bring this review with you), or online at www.spotlighters.org, using the code BWW-ASN.  Thank you Spotlighters!

PHOTOS by Amy Jones: TOP to BOTTOM: Kevin Kostic and Chris Homberg; Tammy Crisp and Tom Burns; the Ensemble of Assassins; Kevin Kostic and Ben Fisler; Liz Boyer Hunnicutt and Tammy Crisp; Stuart Goldstone and Thom Sinn; Jeffrey Hawks and Laura Weiss; and Shane Logue and Edward J. Peters.

To post a comment, you must register and login.