Review: ORDINARY DAYS REVIEW - NOTHING SHORT OF EXTRAORDINARY at Tallgrass Theatre

Tallgrass Theatre Company shared its sixth annual Dream Project, the Iowa premiere of "Ordinary Days," an intimate, heartfelt look at the ways in which four young people connect and intersect in a city of 8 million people.

Music and lyrics by Adam Gwon, Ordinary Days is all about seeing the beauty in the unremarkable as we are given a snapshot of the lives of these four New Yorkers, variously as directionless, disillusioned and disconnected. The result is a story that is touching, truthful and easily relatable.

Director and Choreographer Megan Helmers oversees a show stripped down to the bare essentials with minimal staging beyond a few moving crates and a simple, but beautiful backdrop. Every moment of staging is filled with bustling movement with characters, each longing for meaningful connection, crossing paths constantly in well-choreographed timing.

Helmer's direction is aptly understated, keeping the storyline moving while clearly delineating characters. She has cast a consistently strong ensemble, with most of the cast making impressive acting debuts to the Tallgrass stage. One such individual is Sydney Allen, playing the role of Deb, a brusque and cynical grad-student, searching for her sense of calm. Allen showcases powerhouse vocals and an effective level of frustration at everyone around her, undercutting the show's introspective sentimentality.

Warren (Keaton Lane), also making his Tallgrass debut, plays a twenty-something dreamer and artist, still trying to figure out his life story. He passes time handing out multi-colored flyers with inspirational phrases and collecting sentimental items. The new friendship that develops between Deb and Warren is delightful to watch, as it blossoms throughout the story despite her standoffish resistance.

Stepping into the role of commitment phobic Claire, Taylor Weaver belts out some of the show's strongest material, commanding the small intimate space of the Tallgrass Theatre with powerful, emotionally resonant vocals. Claire's journey is the emotional core of the show, especially given her ability to express layers of emotional vulnerability in a short period of time. In her penultimate number "I'll Be Here," Weaver's performance is simply astonishing.

Charlie Reese adds undeniable presence and talent to the stage as Jason, who has recently moved in with his new girlfriend, and they negotiate the perilous task of placing one person's stuff into another's small apartment. Most of the pair's trajectory is about the resolution of their relationship, and Reese grabs the audience's attention as soon as he steps foot on stage with a rousing rendition of "The Space Between." Later, he showcases his versatility as an actor with heartfelt resonance in "Favorite Places."

Seated prominently at the piano, yet strategically hidden onstage is Francine Griffith, who exquisitely tackles the challenging musical score with deft fingertips. What talent. She makes the production warm and enjoyable, and genuinely steals the show in her surprise dual role which audiences will be sure to enjoy.

There is certainly nothing ordinary about this Tallgrass production. It is in its quiet simplicity that allows a bigger picture to emerge. And that picture is extraordinary. Don't miss this musical, which runs now through February 3rd at www.tallgrasstheatre.org

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