Review: NEXT FALL at Order Chaos Theater Company

Funny, how the Heimlich Maneuver can be a life-saver and, under the right ~ read, serendipitous ~ circumstances, a love-giver. That’s the way it is, though, on a Manhattan rooftop, when a waiter named Luke (a devout Christian and an aspiring actor, of course) embraces Adam (a 40-something writer and confirmed agnostic). An awkward moment turns into a spontaneous burst of mutual attraction that subsequently becomes a test of faith and identity.

The play is Geoffrey Nauffts’s NEXT FALL, an incisive and emotion-laden script that received enough plaudits in its 2009 off-Broadway premiere that it moved to Broadway the following year and garnered a Tony nomination for Best Play. Now through November 17th, Order Chaos Theater Company (OCTC) is presenting the play at Herberger Center Theater’s KAX Stage in Phoenix.

In speaking of the play, Nauffts observed that, “It’s not just about faith or sexuality, but about how we love each other and what we do when faced with loss.” And so it is that NEXT FALL is layered with meanings and nuances that require its actors to deliver performances rich in emotional authenticity and compelling chemistry. On these counts, OCTC has brought the playwright’s message to life with impressive and resounding clarity.

Nauffts’s script unfolds through a series of flashbacks that recount the development of the relationship ~ strained by virtue of Luke and Adam’s clashing views about faith ~ and present-day hospital scenes (Luke has been seriously injured in a crash) where family and friends gather.

From lights-up, the audience is immersed in Adam and Luke’s world ~ a space rich with moments of joy, affection, conflict, and profound revelations.

Each actor fully embodies their roles with authenticity and passion.

Seth Tucker delivers a deeply relatable and emotionally compelling portrayal of Adam. His nuanced expressions and delivery balance humor with moments of raw introspection. It is a standout performance that resonates and captures the depth of Adam’s skepticism, vulnerability, and internal struggle of loving someone with opposing beliefs. (How, he wonders, can Luke justify praying for forgiveness after sex as if the act of love was a sin?) Adam approaches relationships with the foregone conclusion that they will fail, a behavior that his friend Holly pointedly calls out, suggesting that he sabotages relationships out of fear they won’t last. This revelation underscores Adam’s emotional struggle: he views love as something that must be earned but never believes he truly deserves.

Spencer Shaw’s performance as Luke is tender and earnest. He infuses his character with an authenticity and sweetness that makes his unwavering faith feel real and accessible. The casting here offers an exquisite contrast between Adam’s doubts and Luke’s challenge of reconciling love and doctrine. Luke’s steadfast belief system is rooted in a tumultuous upbringing. After his parents' chaotic marriage disintegrated when he was around eight, Luke sought stability in the teachings of his father, Butch, who found solace in returning to his religious roots. This experience molded Luke's relationship with faith into a refuge, a source of peace amid past disorder. Yet, his commitment to religion is also a double-edged sword; it provides comfort but also imposes strict boundaries that conflict with his love for Adam. This contradiction becomes a point of tension, as Luke’s faith tells him that all are sinners, and salvation comes only through acceptance of Christ. This fundamental belief leaves room for moral ambiguity ~ while Luke and his friend Brandon, a closeted gay Christian, compartmentalize their actions and justify their relationships with men, they differ in how far they are willing to take it.

Mitchell Glass’s performance as Brandon is especially compelling, conveying, through subtle gestures, the stresses and hidden conflicts that many gays may face regarding faith and self-acceptance. Although he shares Luke’s Christian faith, Brandon draws a line that Luke eventually crosses ~ falling in love with Adam and embracing a life with him as a committed partner. For Brandon, engaging in casual, hidden encounters is one thing, but building a loving relationship with another man is a bridge too far.

Andrea Hough as Holly, Adam’s confidante, injects the production with warmth and wit. She lifts scenes at just the right moments. She shines when Holly’s more serious side emerges, portraying a woman who knows the precarious nature of life and relationships.

Then, there are the parents. Christi Sweeney as Arlene, Luke’s mother, is a burst of vibrant, chaotic energy. She reenters Luke’s world at this moment of crisis, hoping for reconnection. Her comedic timing is sharp, providing levity (albeit laced at times with hints of tasteless Jewish stereotyping) that contrasts with the play’s more somber moments. When the story demands gravity, she skillfully shifts gears, revealing the depth and fierce love of a mother with an unfiltered take on life. It’s a brilliant and illuminating performance that adds richness to the family dynamic.

Likewise, Scott Hyder delivers a forceful portrayal of the aptly named Butch, a father whose rigid views on masculinity and sexuality create a barrier between him and his son. Hyder evokes a complex mix of stoicism and latent tenderness, subtly hinting at a man who grapples with his own beliefs and paternal love.

To confess to tears at play’s end is only to acknowledge a production that excels in bringing Naufft’s story to life ~ a story that puts a magnifying glass on a world where love, faith, and identity intersect and collide. By framing a love story between two people on opposite ends of the faith spectrum, Nauffts pushes the audiences to reflect on their own biases and the unpredictable ways love challenges convictions.

Under Mark Alan Clemente’s astute and empathetic direction, the shifts between past and present flow seamlessly, the story’s emotional stakes build dramatically, and Nauffts’s goal of highlighting “the conversations we weren’t having” in everyday life is fulfilled.

NEXT FALL runs through November 17th at:

Herberger Theater Center ~ The Kax Stage ~ https://herbergertheater.org/ ~ 222 East Monroe Street, Phoenix, Arizona ~ 602-252-8497

Order Chaos Theater Company ~ https://www.orderchaostheater.org/ ~ orderchaostheater@gmail.comi

Graphic credit to OCTC

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