Review: Joyful Praise for UNEXPECTED JOY at WHAT

It has to be true that happiness exists in places we would least expect (or even hope) to find it. For every place or person on this planet, there is someone or something that can relish its existence - that can feel that he or she is truly happy that something (or someone) so beautiful exists. Joy is a term so universally acknowledged but so specific at the same time; it is subjective but sought after by almost everyone in this world. Everyone needs that peace, that understanding, even if that person doesn't understand what joy means. How can something like that even come close to being "expected," anticipated or planned like one would her methodical tasks for the day?

This is the beauty of the Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater's new musical Unexpected Joy. Not only does the title refer to the story's very sassy "Glam-ma, but from the start hints at the fact that we assume the audience will have its happy ending, but in a way that not even the characters can give a proper name to until they, too, experience what "unexpected joy" can bring.

And this experience isn't limited to the characters on stage, oh no. It isn't like that at all.

Something that is so unique to WHAT this current season is the fact that yes - this theater has chosen a repertoire of productions focused on a particular theme (agenda if you will), but with each show does this focus become less of just a "theme" and more so a new means of expression, not only on the actors' behalves but how they portray characters that can easily be stereotyped and simply (and so wrongly) considered "this or that." With each how does a similar theme show up in a very clever, very new, exciting and incredibly heartfelt way.

And with that, there is a lesson to learn but not something that is drilled into our heads as right or wrong, or overdone in a way that makes one leave confused. What past WHAT shows like Girlfriend and Cock (and now Unexpected Joy) have done is show that someone diverting from the norm should not be separated or treated as the "over there." These shows break down something so complex into something we can all understand and acknowledge as true, no matter what we may think or believe: it breaks it down to human terms, that people are people but because of our books and rational have broken it down to a science we can't even understand anymore. WHAT brings the audience shows that don't seek to prove or approbate, but simply to show in terms that can't be misunderstood or refuted.

This, in addition to the almost absurd talent of the cast and crew that is Unexpected Joy, is why you should all take a visit to WHAT as soon as you possibly can to witness the world premiere of this beautiful show. In association with Jim Kierstead, with a book and lyrics by Bill Russell, music by Janet Hood and now under the direction of Lynne Taylor-Corbett, this one is truly a winner.

So what is Unexpected Joy? It is essentially a musical intervention that must happen in order to bring three generations of women to a place where each may be at peace with the other, and gradually themselves. Joy asks her religious daughter Rachel and rebellious granddaughter Tamara to travel from their home in Oklahoma to beautiful Cape Cod in order for each lend her musical talents towards a tribute celebrating the late "Jump," a music legend and Joy's almost-husband that was never given a proper funeral. Rachel is the proud wife of a very successful televangelist with a growing congregation, both very rigid in their ways and beliefs; Rachel was never accepting of her mother's choice to remain unmarried to her father. Tamara is unaccepting of her parents' righteous ways and looks so forward to seeing her grandmother to share her secret passion for music that she daren't tell her mother. Joy is about to be married for the first time, but not to the "lucky fellow" whom she neglects to acquaint the family with.

There is a lot going on to make up what is Unexpected Joy and believe me, the audience isn't excluded from feeling anything the characters are susceptible to - all the happiness and love yet also the fearful anticipation family can bring. Right through the frantic times of bringing three generations together for a musical celebration of the late "Jump" (in loo of a traditional funeral) is true joy to be found, yet this is not something that comes about until the chaos is sifted through and people emerge stronger and more the wiser than they were at the start.

There is so much to be proud of in terms of what this musical is: from the multitude of problems Joy must face, sometimes ten-fold, in relation to something so precious as her family, to the idea of being too afraid of another's opinion to reveal, not even to yet expect acceptance, of who she is as an individual (how this is relevant to ALL the characters in the show is mixed in so beautifully with the more prevalent idea of the "gay agenda"), there really is never a moment in this production when the audience is not riveted by the mere idea of how it will all turn out.

If it makes any sense to call a show simply "nice' to watch, then that is what I would say here - when everything about a production just clicks and you know that what you're going to sit through for the next few hours is assuredly going to be something great. Going back to the idea of there being an agenda to these shows, it is simply not the case when you are sitting there, watching a fluid production brought about by incredibly talented actors and musicians (even the band becomes a plot-advancing part of the show), anticipating some sort of conclusion to be reached to put these characters at ease.

Joy begins the entire show as though it were a concert, followed by songs that are just so eclectic - sweet, edgy and kind; mellow, bittersweet and plain old rocking - in their nature, there is the certainty that everyone will find something to love about this show.

And it is honestly hard not to.

Everything about this production is impressive: from the costumes, the set perfectly enveloping the feel of Cape Cod and the unbelievable voices these four women bring together in beautiful song (they are almost too good, deserving the applause which willingly comes after every song sung), Unexpected Joy really is quite the spectacle at WHAT. Sally Mayes as Joy, Michelle Duffy as Rachel, Charity Farrell as Tamara and Lacretta as Lou (Joy's fiancé) round out this incredible cast, while music director Gillian Berkowitz leads Rod McCaulley on bass, Jim Robitaille on guitar and Rikki Bates on drums.

Unexpected Joy opened at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater (2357 Route 6 in Wellfleet) on July 21st and will continue performances thru August 20th. Tickets range from $12-$50 and may be purchased by visiting the box office in person, by calling (508) 349-9428 or by going to what.org. The performance schedule is as follows: Wednesday-Monday at 8PM, Sunday July 31, August 7 & August 14 at 3PM & 8PM and special Playmaker Talkbacks on July 28th & August 4th.

Enjoy the show and support a wonderful theater while you're at it!

Photo Credit: Michael and Suz Karchmer

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