Review: Black Comedy 63 TRILLION Examines the Cutthroat World of Financial Advisors

Blessed with an amazing cast who brings despicable characters to life, the world premiere of black comedy "63 Trillion" written by John Bunzel is being presented by The New American Theatre in association with Mud Bay Partners at the Odyssey Theatre through June 7. Directed at an ultra-fast pace by award winning Broadway director Steve Zuckerman, the action moves swiftly with alliances changing moment-by-moment in the overly stressful world of high finance.

Money. Sex. Bad behavior....just another day at the stock exchange. When global financial markets go radioactive, predators stand poised for a fight to the finish. Partnerships prove to be perilous and laws are meaningless in the jungle of scheming money managers, where the cleverly crafted characters of John Bunzel's dark comedy dwell.

Proving that money makes their world go around, financial advisors bicker about the falling stock market and how to best keep making money as their clients are losing their portfolios. With each desiring to be at the top of his game, none is safe from the backstabbing devised to make sure only the cream of the crop rises to the top no matter the cost to anyone else. "It's not how smart you are, it's how smart the world thinks you are" seems to be motto of these cutthroat sharks.

Set in a brokerage office in Los Angeles, business partners Tom (Ken Lerner) and Kenny (Jack Stehlin) react to their assistant Jonah's (Noah James) alarm at the falling stock market due to a situation in China. From the beginning, we see Kenny as a slimy eel, wriggling his way around situations so his clients stay happy and his pockets stay full. Tom is more sympathetic, a calmer soul who worries more about the world situation than his own hide. Or so it seems.

Their boss Dick (Jeffrey Jones), who they see as an idiot savant given his strange way of living and unusual home décor, comes in for coffee to watch what is going on and comment on conversations as he sees fit. Down the hall is the office of Frank (Robert Cicchini), a hot under the collar financial analyst trying to understand why his beloved dog attacked his elderly mother. Peter Black (Jordan Lund) gets into the mix as a potential client looking to invest $10 million in cash with Kenny. Of course Kenny does his best to alleviate Peter's fears about the falling stock market, but things take a turn for the worst when his money somehow disappears into thin air after being wired to the office.

A physical altercation between Tom and Kenny results in a bloody nose and a desire for revenge, throwing a wrench in the works for the entire office as the market keeps falling and tempers keep rising. And when a video gets posted anonymously on YouTube showing Frank verbally abusing the blind mailroom attendant while Kenny looks on and does nothing to stop him sends corporate lawyer Nancy (Megan Gallagher) in to assist in their suspension and ultimate dismissal from the firm. Now no one else will hire them - the perfect revenge played out to a tee.

The twists and turns which unravel the plot seemed difficult to understand at first since there was no foreshadowing whatsoever on the partnership that evolved in the office and ultimately wins out over all others. I'd like to see a bit more set-up on that duo so when the final revelation occurs, it seems a bit more plausible due to what has been going on behind the scenes between Dick and Jonah.

But honestly, the quality of each character portrayal is so strong, you can't help feeling as if you know all of them personally by the end of the play due to the incredible work being done from deep within the soul of each actor. Many are members of The New American Theatre, a company of professional actors and theatre artists who work in theatre, film, television and new media. Formerly Circus Theatricals, the group is celebrating twenty years in Los Angeles and has enjoyed well deserved critical acclaim, awards and nominations from the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, LA Drama Critics Circle, Back Stage, LA Weekly, LA Stage Alliance Ovations and more. CBS Los Angeles named The New American Theatre as one of the top five 99-seat theatre companies in Los Angeles.

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The New American Theatre in association with Mud Bay Partners presents the WORLD PREMIERE comedy "63 Trillion" - Written by John Bunzel and Directed by Steve Zuckerman and Produced by Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin - Runs 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, 2pm Sunday April 26th and June 7th only as a guest production at the Odyssey Theatre - 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025. Tickets are $30-$34.99 and can be ordered online at NewAmericanTheatre.com/tickets.html or by calling 310-477-2055. $3 parking available at the theater, or free street parking.

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