By Dale King
If you’re planning to see Beau Jest at the Broward Stage Door Theater, there are a few things worth knowing right off the bat.
First, don’t confuse this show with Beau Geste, the 1924 adventure novel by P.C. Wren that has been adapted for the screen several times and also parodied on a few occasions.
Second, if you see the name Michael Leeds listed as director, be assured that this is, in fact, the same person who wrote and directed the Broadway musical, Swinging on a Star, that was nominated for a Tony Award for best musical. And yes, it is the same guy who directed and choreographed the Off-Broadway production of Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah: The Songs of Allan Sherman (starring Tovah Feldshuh and Mary Testa), for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for best director and best choreographer.
Finally, if you expect Beau Jest to be just another story about just another Jewish girl who must marry a nice Jewish boy to please her parents, you’re far from fathoming the depth of his wonderful comedy-drama combo.
A splendid cast, excellent direction and a stellar script by James Sherman propel this play far beyond the obvious. In Beau Jest, he turns the whole hackneyed Jewish-only bit on its head by making the ridiculous concept even more farcical. And he does it with laugh-aloud humor mixed with family-bonding tenderness. It’s an intelligent reworking of an overused plot line.
This show – which eventually becomes a maelstrom – whirls around Sarah Goldman (Sara Fetgatter), a young, professionally employed Jewish woman who lives in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago circa late 1980s. While she occupies the apartment alone, she is still held tightly under the wings of her parents, Abe and Miriam Goldman (Larry Kent Bramble, Sally Bondi). The nicely furnished residence is replete with family photos and Sarah speaks to her mom several times daily.
Because the parents demand she marry a Jewish man, Sarah has to juggle her love life like Penn Gillette juggles apples. As the play opens, she is dating a Gentile character named Chris Cringle (portrayed with a remarkably straight face by Justin Lawrence). She has told her mom she isn’t seeing him any more, but she really is.
One night, Sarah quickly hustles Chris out because her parents are coming for dinner. Chris leaves, and in comes Bob Schroeder (Matthew William Chizever), an actor she has hired to play the part of her Jewish boyfriend – a doctor, of course. Turns out Bob is neither a doctor nor is he Jewish. But he has to play both to please the parents.
Instead of fessing up, Sarah keeps the ruse going right through Passover – and beyond. In the meantime, Abe and Miriam are falling in love with “Dr. Steinberg,” and the “doc” is falling in love with … well, you know who.
Before long, this house of cards comes crashing down, just after Sarah’s brother, Joel (Mark Levy) smells a rat in the relationship. Eventually, everything comes to the surface in revelations that, at first, are stormy, but eventually work themselves out in a nice, tender, family way.
Bravo to Leeds for picking a top-notch cast. Chizever practically steals the show with his charm and quick wit. In reality a Jewish native of Long Island, he’s got a lengthy resume of stage credits and seems very comfortable in the role, be it reality or ruse.
Fetgatter is delightfully engaging as Sarah Goldman. This is her debut at Broward, but hopefully it won’t be her last appearance. She has real star power that doesn’t fade in the shadow of Chizever’s presence. With her brunette good looks and tendency toward exasperation, she is reminiscent of Mary Tyler Moore in The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Bondi and Bramble portray their characters as if they’d been schooled in the Catskills. Both have superb in-bred talents. You could say that Abe and Miriam are alive and well and living on the Broward Stage. It must have been some task for Bondi to switch to this role from her portrayal of Mama Morton in the Boca Theatre Guild production of Chicago.
Lawrence should get the award for underplaying his role. Not only does he accept the moniker of “Chris Cringle,” he seems unfazed by the craziness in the Goldman household. Levy brings a bevy of talent to his role as the somewhat philosophical brother (a bit like Linus in Peanuts). He is not only an actor, but a trained improviser and a podcaster.
The tech staff also did its part well. Set designer David Torres concocted a livable, late ’80s apartment style, with dark woods, a comfy couch and elegant hutch. The table in the middle is really the center of the action. And the lighting, designed by Ardean Landhuis, is simple and subtle.
In point of fact, there is not one disappointing performance in this terrific play, which is just about to complete its run.
Beau Jest plays through April 28 at the Broward Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs. For tickets, call 954-344-7765. This concludes the theater’s 2012-2013 schedule. Two shows are planned for summer, Brighton Beach Memoirs (May 31-June 30) and Character Man, with Jim Brochu (July 12-Aug. 11).