New York, Do You Care?

Island Song — 4 Chairs Theatre

For everyone, this past year has been difficult, at best. For the theatre, it’s eliminated live performances with actors on stage and living, breathing audiences in attendance. Alternatives to simply shutting their doors until the pandemic’s fully under control have been enhanced audio productions of plays or virtual productions, available for purchase on demand. The range of success found in these viral play presentations varies widely, from multicast dramas, that sort of resemble a Zoom meeting, to full productions that have been thoughtfully produced with some modicum of creativity.

Standing head and shoulders above the rest, this premiere production, from a brand new company called 4 Chairs Theatre, ranks as the finest virtual production I’ve seen, so far. I’m sure it was particularly difficult because the show is an original musical featuring the talents of five young actors. A sixth character, however, is the always present visuals of New York City, seen in some stunning moving and still photography. The Big Apple becomes both the play’s protagonist and antagonist; it’s always an omnipresent force, either there to help or hinder these young hopefuls, as they pursue their dreams. 

So much credit for this fine production goes to the raft of creative artists involved. Lauren Berman, the Founder of 4 Chairs Theatre, is the talented guiding force behind this wonderful production. She’s both the director and producer of this musical. The story is by Sam Carner, Derek Gregor and Marlo Hunter, with Mr. Gregor listed as the score’s composer and Mr. Carner credited with writing the witty lyrics. Responsible for the challenging musical direction is Kailey Rockwell, who must be a melodic magician, the way she juggles this cast and balances them, in tune. Fil Graniczny, the production’s Audio & Video Editor, makes sure that everything is clearly seen and heard; Matt Canon has employed his discerning artistry as Montage and Stills Videographer; and Maxwell Rubenstein adds beauty to the piece as its Graphic Designer.   

The story isn’t new, but its unique presentation makes it quite special. At an intermission-less hour and 40 minutes, the musical feels a bit too long. That said, there are many songs and soul-stirring moments that make the show truly special. One particularly poignant moment is told without words: a young, unemployed actor is spotted by another character sitting on a bench, out in the cold. Sensing that he’s down-on-his-luck, she surreptitiously slides a hundred dollar bill into the young man’s bag. His reaction brings a tear to the audience’s eye. It’s one of the finest scenes in this play. 

“Island Song” is more like a song cycle, than a full musical, with a few spoken monologues and introspective scenes thrown in. The piece feels a little like Jason Robert Brown’s “Last Five Years;” but it’s particularly reminiscent of Adam Gwon’s sung-through musical, “Ordinary Days.” Like Gwon’s musical, this show is also about a group of young people trying to survive in New York City over the course of a year. We meet Jordan, Caroline and Shoshana—three lovely ladies, all of whom have very different stories to tell and agendas to keep, but are ultimately alike in many ways. The two gentlemen in the play are Will, a young, aspiring architect, and Cooper, a talented musical theatre actor from the Midwest, looking for his first big break. The cast consists of Aalon Smith (Jordan), Kaitlin Feely (Caroline), Jasmine Lacy Young (Shoshana), Nick Arceo (Will), and JoJo Farrell (Cooper). While all five are fine actor/singers, the score seems to highlight the women’s vocal talents better than the men. 

There are about two dozen musical compositions in this show, including many songs and a few instrumental interludes. The opening title tune is catchy and introduces us to all five of the twenty-something individuals. Throughout the show each character provides a ballad or uptempo song that helps us understand his or her journey through their challenges and problems. While many of the songs are solos, several are intricate duets and group numbers. “So Many Windows,” Caroline’s musical monologue is especially soulful; In “New York, Do You Care?” Jordan makes a plaintive plea to this faceless Metropolis; “Dancing in Pairs” is Shoshana’s attempt to find Mr. Right. Sung with deep feeling, “Stay Awhile” features Will begging his lover to continue their relationship; and Cooper’s “Make It Here” is a celebration of all that he’s suffered through to get what he wants in life.

“Island Song” is a great example of how the limitations of the pandemic are fluid. Here’s an inventive and beautiful work of art for these difficult times. This one-act musical, despite its length, is stunning in so many ways. A talented cast, some passionate direction, many  moving musical moments and a gallery of creative, artistic photography that provides the glue for this story: all meld together to make this musical premiere one of the finest examples of how brilliant a virtual production can be. It proves that there can be excellent, inventive art to experience by an audience on their computers, until live theatre finally returns. One can only imagine what this company will come up with next!

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas    

Presented virtually April 23-May 2 by  4 Chairs Theatre.

Tickets are available for a video on demand performance by going to www.4chairstheatre.org, and press “Learn More” to purchase tickets.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.