PHOTO: Mark S. Howard)
by Julie-Anne Whitney
‘The Cake’ – Written by Bekah Brunstetter; Directed by Courtney O’Connor; Scenic Design by Matt Whiton; Costume Design by Charles Schoonmaker; Lighting Design by Aja Jackson; Original Music/Sound Design by Arshan Gailus; Intimacy Direction by Ted Hewlett; Stage Managed by Diane McClean. Presented by the Lyric Stage Company of Boston through February 9.
Inspired by the 2015 Craig v. Masterpiece Cakeshop lawsuit, Bekah Brunstetter’s play, The Cake, centers on a conservative Christian bakery owner, Della (Karen MacDonald), who is asked by her late friend’s daughter, Jen (Chelsea Diehl), to make a wedding cake. When Jen reveals that her future spouse is a black woman named Macy (Kris Sidberry), Della clumsily claims that she’s simply “too busy” to accommodate their request.
But Della’s refusal is complicated. While a part of her believes that “it’s not what God intended,” she can see that the two young women “obviously love each other,” and as a kind of second mother to Jen, Della’s “brain and heart [are] at war” over the decision. Della’s husband Tim (Fred Sullivan, Jr.) tells her that “we can feel sad for her and we can still love her” but that ultimately Della cannot condone Jen’s “unnatural” choice by making the wedding cake. The situation moves Della to re-examine her rigid religious beliefs and to explore – and eventually embrace – her own sense of sexuality and desire.
It takes an actor of MacDonald’s caliber to add complexity and depth to an often insufferable protagonist. MacDonald’s performance is filled with such warmth, humor, and tenderness that you cannot help but sympathize with Della’s internal struggle. Making her Lyric Stage debut, Diehl brings brightness and sensitivity to the role of Jen, matching MacDonald’s glow and charm step for step. Sidberry rounds out this fabulous female-led cast with a bold and steady portrayal of Jen’s fiancée, Macy, the sharp-tongued journalist from Brooklyn.
Despite two developmental productions before its early 2019 Off-Broadway run, Brunstetter’s script still needs some work. While there are many compelling issues brought to light over the course of the play (sexual enlightenment, marriage equality, female empowerment, homophobia, freedom of choice, etc.), there just isn’t enough time to fully digest all of them. This is especially true when a serious moment is followed by a surrealist moment like one of Della’s shallow internal monologues which not only weaken but also cheapen the story. However, thanks to O’Connor’s clever staging, Jackson’s playful lighting design, and MacDonald’s undeniable dazzle – the team make the best of what they have to work with.
Brunstetter also presents the characters as predictably cloying stereotypes at the beginning of the play (the sickly sweet southerner, the stubborn opinionated liberal, the neurotic controlling bride-to-be) which is a bit difficult to swallow. But they slowly become more human the more you get to know them, and the more they get to know each other. At first glance, these women couldn’t possibly have anything in common, but it turns out there are many similarities between them. Over time you learn that Della and Macy both experienced bullying because of their weight; both Jen and Della feel shame for their “sinful” sexual desires; Macy and Jen have both been unwelcomed outsiders – and despite their differences in race, age, religion, orientation, and upbringing, all three women share the same need to be seen and loved for who they are.
Some might be quick to dismiss this play as trite or saccharine, but if you put your cynicism aside you will see that it’s a story with a big heart and a good message: change, however slow and painful it might be, is possible when you have the right ingredients. Whether its butter and sugar or patience and compassion, you will find that, in the end, love truly is the icing on the cake. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.lyricstage.com
