Weston Drama Workshop’s Incandescent ‘Indecent’ Illuminates the Power of Theatre

Indecent by Paula Vogel . Direction by Stephanie Manning, Music Direction by Dan Rodriguez, Choreography by Kira Troilo, Costume Design by Laura Villalobos, Lighting and Projection Design by Kyle Stamm, Scenic Design by Nick Oberstein, Properties Design by Anika Reichelt. Presented by the Weston Drama Workshop, 235 Wellesley St, Weston, through July 30

By Linda Chin

For its “Renaissance” Season 60, the well-regarded  Weston Drama Workshop re-emerges (after offering modified programming in 2020 and 2021) in summer 2022 with an ambitious six-show lineup that includes the musicals Something Rotten!, Tuck Everlasting and Young Frankenstein and the plays Six Characters, Gooney Bird Greene and Her True Life Adventures, and Indecent.

Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel, Indecent enjoyed its world premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre (co-produced with La Jolla Playhouse) in 2015, made its New York premiere off-Broadway, and marked Vogel’s Broadway debut in 2017. It won two Tony Awards, for Best Direction of a Play (Rebecca Taichman) and Best Lighting Design in a Play (Christopher Akerlind). Indecent tells the story of the highly controversial play God of Vengeance penned by young 20-year old writer Sholem Asch. Asch’s play features a Jewish couple who run a brothel in their basement, and whose daughter falls in love with one of the prostitutes. It was staged in several European cities before reaching Broadway in 1927, where it was deemed obscene and the entire company was arrested and prosecuted. In 2019 it was recreated by Taichman at the Huntington Theatre (in co-production with LA’s Center Theatre Group) and also took Boston by storm.

With such strong critical acclaim for recent productions, the parallel pandemics of COVID and systemic racism, casting that calls for performers who can act, play instruments and sing, and reliance on a team with artistic and technical prowess, Indecent is a very bold choice for any professional theatre company to produce successfully, much less one geared towards educating participants in grade 5 through age 23. Luckily for the participants, audience and community members, Weston Drama Workshop is staffed by theater artists-educators who model creative collaboration, and as evidenced by the ambitious season in general and the artistic excellence of Indecent in particular, have the energy, passion – and chutzpah – to push the boundaries, and break the stereotype of “youth theater” as having lower standards of quality.

Stephanie Manning directs the ensemble of eleven performers with the harmony and precision of a conductor; the troupe’s exquisite timing befits the play’s lyrical narrative. Acting standouts include Alex Serino, as the young playwright, Caitlyn Luria, as Chana, his wife and daughter of the older Jewish couple/brothel owners, and Liana Perlman, as Halina, Chana’s love interest and scene partner in the play within the play. Serino’s multi-layered performance shows his emotional range and acting skills – his tenderness towards his new wife and culturally atypical appreciation of their work partnership in the opening bedroom scene, his fierce protectiveness of the truth, in authentic though less than flattering observations of Jewish culture he committed to paper, and his kindness in welcoming the tailor-turned-stage manager (portrayed with elegant stature and elocution by Eli Ballit) to the initial living room reading. Seeing Serino stretch his performance skills as the lead in a straight play is another example of how WDW supports their returning repertory members; he shone as SpongeBob in the titular role of last year’s musical. For Luria and Perlman, the physicality, musicality, and versatility they bring to their performances is impressive beyond their years. The final scene, with the pair dancing in the rain, is one of the most beautifully executed and memorable moments I have seen on stage. Ever.

Bravo to Executive Producer Chris Brindley, Producers Aidan O’Hara, Ari Welch, and Tristan Burke for making the decision to produce Indecent in its 60^th Season. Producers carry the responsibilities of optimizing a production’s financial as well as artistic success, and the fact that it is more difficult to draw ticket buyers to heavy-hearted plays than light-hearted musicals these days is a factor when curating a season. Yet I would contend that with the isolation of the pandemic, the distrust of immigrants, spread of neo-Nazi supremacy, and dissolution of gay rights this summer, theater that educates, brings community together and promotes discussion is more needed than ever; that the opportunity for audiences of all ages and backgrounds, and for young theater artists to experience a brilliant production of Indecent is priceless. For tickets and more info, go to: https://www.westondramaworkshop.org/