The traditional stage musical is characterized by huge casts, lavish musical numbers and extravagant costuming, but Andew Lippa and Tom Greenwald's John and Jen takes things in a different direction. Relying on quick costume changes, a minimalistic score, and a short running time, the play creates a quiet, intimate atmosphere, focusing more on the emotions and changes of its characters than the flash and dazzle of set pieces and dance numbers. Penfold Theatre, after two stellar seasons and wide acclaim, continue their string of hits with this somber, heartbreaking production, with director Michael McKelvey, director of hit musicals Sweeney Todd and Evil Dead, weaving together a beautiful, subtle tapestry of life and family ties throughout the generations, starting with the turbulence of the sixties and ending in the heart of the more accepting nineties, while creating characters, with the help of his two stellar actors, who seem so real that they could have been plucked right off Congress Avenue.
In a small piece like this, the quality of the performances is a major determining factor in how well the piece will come together as a whole, so it’s to the productions benefit that two of the best musical actors in town were called in. Sarah Gay is a well-known name in the Austin theatre world, with many fine roles in a number of wonderful plays, but this may be the show that finally puts her on the map. She proves that she can go beyond the usual coquettish roles she has taken in the past, bringing an incredible range to the character of Jen, going from peppy innocent to world-worn mother in the course of her ninety minutes on stage. Even in her most childlike moments, there’s a sadness somewhere deep down that creeps up behind her eyes, showing the inner pain of a person pushed around all their life. This doesn’t mean she plays the sad card throughout, since she frequently allows herself to let go 
and have fun in some of the play’s more humorous moments, bringing in almost as many laughs as tears by play’s end.
Andrew Canatta’s work in the piece should not be understated, and while he may not reach the heights that Gay is able to, he still proves why he’s one of Austin’s go-to guys when it comes to musicals. Folks may have seen him last in such productions of Summer Stock Austin’s Little Shop of Horrors or Zach Scott’s 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, where he proved to be adept at playing outcasts and children, and he continues this talent here. He captures the wonder and innocence of a child better than almost anyone else in town, and his talent is on full display, but here the play also allows him to stretch his limits a little, though the audience may wish that he would push himself even harder. Both of the characters he plays, brother as well as son to Gay’s Jen, grow and become new and different people, and Canatta grows right along with them, seeming to transform himself from a boy to a man right before our eyes, showing a maturity that audience members may have never seen from the actor.
Occasionally hilarious, frequently tear-inducing, and always in touch with its heart, Penfold’s production of Lippa and Greenwald's chamber musical hits all the right notes, wearing its feelings proudly on its 
sleeve, and utilizing its superb in the best way possible. Penfold proves once again that they’re a company to look out for, and with their current trajectory, they are sure to make an even bigger name for themselves in the future.
John and Jen is playing at the Hideout Theater until February 21st. For more information on the play, purchase tickets, or learn about the company's upcoming season, be sure to visit their website at penfoldtheatre.com.
Comments