Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Conceived by Craig Lucas & Norman René; Directed by Christopher Ostrom; Musical direction by Kevin Quill; Scenic Design by Christopher Ostrom; Costume Design by Rachel Padula-Shufelt; Lighting Design by Patricia M. Nichols; Sound Design by Sam Sewell. Presented by Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre through July 24
by Linda Chin
In the small, artsy seaside town of Wellfleet on the Outer Cape, home to galleries, studios, and oysters galore, a pearl of a production is currently playing at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater. Last summer’s Shipwrecked!, performed on a wooden ship with billowy sails built on an outdoor stage in their parking lot, was visually stunning though acoustically-strained. Schedule conflicts prevented me from seeing WHAT’s 2022 season kickoff (Straight White Men by Young Jean Lee, a “straight” play I enjoyed at Watertown’s New Rep years ago). But at the first opportunity, I hightailed it from Boston to see the second show of the five show season curated by Producing Artistic Director Christopher Ostrom: Marry Me A Little. Seeing live theater indoors again at the jewel that is Julie Harris Stage is a gift, in this case a string of Sondheim pearls.
With direction and scenic design by the multi-hyphenated Ostrom, Marry Me A Little tells the story (through acting and song, there is no dialogue) of two lonely New York singles spending Saturday night in their respective apartments. Coincidentally, I also last saw this show at the New Rep about ten years ago (an ingenious version directed by Ilyse Robbins, who got permission from Sondheim to include two female and two male actors in gay and straight pairings). WHAT’s version sticks to the original casting, with Brittany Rolfs as Woman, and Sam Perwin as Man. Rolfs and Perwin brilliantly perform 18 solos and duets written by the incomparable Stephen Sondheim, cut or culled from more familiar productions including Anyone Can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Funny Thing….Forum, A Little Night Music and Saturday Night. Of note, Rolfs’ outstanding rendition of “Uptown, Downtown” – which brings the character of Hyphenated Helen alive – was performed by Man in many productions.
Not everyone is a Sondheim devotee, will be familiar with his less-produced compositions, nor appreciates his often bittersweet and melancholy view of love and life, but his passing in November 2021 has prompted many theatre companies and artists to want to pay tribute to his work. Additionally, seeing this show during this prolonged pandemic (the actors even don masks to contemporize this production) make the themes of isolation even more poignant. This show should resonate with anyone who has had yearnings for connection, thoughts that they are the only person without a partner, or fantasizes that life is greener on the other side of the wall. Attending this performance was akin to being serenaded by actors who have perfected the craft of telling stories through song. Or the gift of sitting in a warm bubble bath for an hour, in this case followed by a cold shower. For tickets and information, go to: what.org
