By Amanda VanNostrand.
Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust. -Isaiah 26:19
Claiming, “I can’t believe I am still protesting this”, is fairly common today among those of older generations. These signs can be found at today’s protests because history seems to repeat itself, and as it does, young generations hold the responsibility of avoiding the same mistakes their parents and grandparents made by doing better – making bigger changes – than previous generations. Awake & Sing!, examines this harsh reality as it presents the story of a Jewish family living in New York City during The Great Depression. Presented by Quintessence Theatre Group and showing now through February 17th at The Sedgwick Theatre, this show examines history through the stories of striking characters as they experience a reality that seems hopeless both inside and outside of their home.
Visiting The Sedgwick Theater for Awake & Sing! is sure to be a grand experience. Upon walking into the building, visitors will be struck by the artistic glow of the lobby and beyond. Quintessence Theatre Group has partnered with Parkway Northwest High School for Peace & Social Justice and has displayed student work that showcases key points of The Great Depression. Including topics from the Roosevelts to the significance of music during that time (which enabled this viewer to understand the importance of records to one of the characters, certainly enhancing the experience), the work of the students coincides with the setting of the play, enabling audience members to learn from young people who have researched these important topics. One can truly appreciate the collaboration that has taken place between school and theater.
Awake & Sing! follows the Berger family, who live in an apartment in the Bronx: two parents – Bessie and Myron, and their grown children, Hennie and Ralph, as well as Bessie’s father, Jacob. Bessie seems incredibly overworked and unhappy as she nitpicks and controls so many aspects of her family’s lives. Her husband Myron does not say much and leaves his children, father-in-law, and wife to their own devices. Moe Axelrod is a family friend (and eventual housemate) and gives the audience a glimpse into the life of a war veteran as he struggles both emotionally and physically (while ultimately revealing respectability). As Hennie and Ralph struggle with their romantic and everyday lives, it is clear that Bessie’s influence is stronger than it should be and as the financial situation within the home tenses up, the everyday stressors become magnified. Jacob has watched struggles such as these as he lived a generation before his daughter and her family, and his perspective is striking to watch and listen to. As he reveals the wisdom that only people of his age can possibly possess, it is evident that the mistakes of his past have lost him any respectability from his family and he watches helplessly as their decisions cause them to begin crashing down. His relationship with Ralph is perhaps the healthiest of them all, and as Ralph learns about life and love, Jacob’s presence becomes both a nuisance and a saving grace. The whole house is taken up in a whirlwind of fears and emotions from beginning to end, and the strong themes of this beautifully written show are portrayed in a flawless web of chaos.
Lawrence Pressman and the Ensemble of AWAKE AND SING, Photo by Shawn May Photography.
The cast of Awake & Sing! is excellent. They all possess superb talent (and most importantly, consistently convincing Brooklyn accents). Of note are Sabrina Profitt who plays Bessie in the most annoying of ways, making her irking mom part into something truly believable. (So believable that she will perhaps be reminiscent of ones own mother at times.) This is a great thing though: she brings the audience to find both contempt and understanding for Bessie’s complex character which is not be an easy feat. Melody Ladd also plays a complex character in Hennie, and she nails it. Hennie’s tough exterior and soft interior are displayed by Ladd, and her character is one that is hard to take at times but Ladd makes her shine by the end. She is not your typical 20-something woman in the 1930s, and this can be much appreciated as Melody Ladd gives her a fresh image that is believable and endearing. It is refreshing to watch such a unique female character find her way on the stage. Lawrence Pressman’s role as Jacob is sure to be a favorite (aside from the dog who sadly only makes two appearances but draws authentic “awws” and laughter from the entire audience, stealing the thunder of the talented human actors). Pressman’s gentle demeanor is somehow frustrating yet a breath of fresh air. His character holds regrets alongside his wisdom, and Lawrence Pressman brings these things to light in each of his scenes. Although the audience may wish to see him strike back a bit stronger at his family, Pressman gives Jacob just the right emphases to create strong feelings of sadness and love for him. And then there is DJ Gleason as Ralph. This actor has the perfect look for a character learning how to be an adult in the difficult world he was born into. He gives Ralph the necessities needed to convince the audience that he will get where he needs to and bring the hope that may not be witnessed in this time span, but seen in the future of the family as the story closes. Gleason takes this role and runs with it, making Ralph into the light of the Berger family.
As 800,000 workers go back to work after being without paychecks for so long, reality is a good reminder of just how necessary paychecks and financial stability are in this country. The young generation is fortunate to have never experienced times such as The Great Depression but as they watch the world change before their eyes (as Myron Berger expresses while speaking of his own experience in the 30s), their predecessors are sure to recognize that the problems they thought were once solved may come around full circle and haunt the lives of their children. Awake & Sing! can teach us that the stories of our families are more important than we sometimes realize and that if our families did not stand up and take action (or even if they did), we should take the opportunity when we can. One can hope that as young people today are vocal and insistent in their stand against injustice, the problems that have gone around and around from generation to generation will finally be put to rest. Stories such as those in Awake & Sing! are reminders that cherishing those who came before us means respecting them and hearing them out, while understanding that their best is not enough; our best needs to be better than theirs was so that change can happen. Ralph reveals this in the end, and this lesson should be taken to heart. What an influential story. Awake & Sing! is a must-see this season.