Review: The Show Must Go On with OAT SQUARES at TheatreWorks New Milford

Nothing ever goes according to plan, but you make do with what you have, and you make it work. That is true in both reality and fiction, and Theatre Works New Milford got a healthy dose of both with their production of Oat Squares, by George Barnett. Written by a local playwright through New Milford’s Playwriting Group, Oat Squares’ World Premiere got off to a shaky start, when one of their actors left the production after opening night, but as the old saying goes, “The show must go on.” And it did.

After the role of Justin became available, the cast and crew quickly found and enlisted the help of Jim Dietter to fill in for the weekend. One emergency rehearsal later and it was go time for Dieter who, armed with a book in hand and the support of the rest of the cast, went on stage with nothing to lose and only oat squares to gain! Whether he was nervous or excited, the audience couldn’t tell, as the only way one would know he wasn’t originally part of the cast was the script in his hand.

A tale of family, love, and heart healthy cereals, Oat Squares brings the family sitcom to the stage with a simple premise: An adult daughter moves back into her parent’s house with her surprise boyfriend. From the moment the lights come up, Barnett gets straight to the point with establishing who we’re dealing with: Ralph and Mary are approaching retirement, and the cozy routine of their lives is about to be upended. Mary, played by Lori Franzese, is level-headed, attentive, and compassionate, which is foiled well by Ralph, played by Rob Pawlikowski, who is very particular, cautious, and quirky. His quirks can be seen in his devotion to his heart-healthy oat squares cereal! Its not long before we hear of Ashley’s homecoming, played by Jennifer Wallace, and the accompaniment of her new boyfriend, Justin. Immediately, Justin’s clueless and easygoing nature rubs against Ralph’s order and control, and the tension is palpable from lights up to curtain.

Under the guidance of director Rachel Jones, this comedic tale that is already jam packed with jokes, irony, and visual gags, leaves the audience falling in love with every character, despite their respective flaws. Despite the tumultuous start, the future looks bright for Oat Squares. The show runs June 20th-23rd and 27th-30th, with evening performances at 8pm on Thu-Sat and 2pm Matinees on Sun. You can get tickets at the door or online at theatreworks.us.

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