Dans Papers - May 18, 2007 -Things Being What They Are At Bay Street Theatre

There was a happy tone infusing the voices of the cast of Things Being What They Are when I interviewed them last Saturday. Perhaps it's because they are doing what they love, in a beautiful place, working with inspiring people. When a show is cast with people clearly passionate about the work they're performing, the show's going to be tight. This is what we have in store for us with Bay Street's next play, Things Being What They Are, written by Wendy McLeod.

The well-established actors, Tom McGowan and Brian d'Arcy James, are eager to work on a script they feel so passionate about. Mr. McGowan, who was nominated for a Tony in 1991, jumped at the chance to perform this play. He knew Ms. McLeod back at Yale, when he helped move the sets in one of her early works, Apocalyptic Butterfly. After watching the same show every night and continuing to enjoy it, he knew he respected her as a playwright. Mr. McGowan says that the rehearsals of this show have been fantastic. Mr. d'Arcy James felt a natural dynamic with his co-star, and believes that will be felt by the audience. This is not the first time the two are working together. In 1991, when a young Brian had just moved to New York, he was so excited to meet the formidable Tom McGowan for the first time. He thought of him as "truly famous," and from this deep respect, it is clear that Brian feels challenged to "rise to his level." Tom had equally complimentary things to say about his costar Brian and their director, Leonard Foglia.

The play chronicles the progression of an unlikely bond formed between two disparate men, Jack and Bill. With the mundane backdrop of a condominium community, the two men, who start off like oil and water, wriggle their ways into each other's hearts. As Mr. d'Arcy James, who plays Bill, said, "One is a bull in a china shop and the other is very conservative. They have different philosophies about life, but through the course of the play, they find their common ground."

Because of the intimate, two-person cast, the actors and director are able to delve deeply into these characters, and much depends on the running conversation. Mr. McGowan, who plays Jack, believes that putting on a two-character show can be very challenging because you really "rely on each other. It's a pure theatrical device. You've got two people, alone on a stage, trying to make a connection." And from the way they speak of each other and the play itself, it sounds like they do just that.

The story is about more than just friendship, though. It's about perceptions, and about false expectations. When the two characters first take the stage, the audience is enticed to believe a certain thing, and the masterful script is what draws you to question your own assumptions.

The director and both of the actors were adamant when I asked if they were true to the script, or if they had made the work their own. While they have each probed deeply into their characters, they have not tried to make something of the script that was not there. They are working to depict Ms. McLeod's vision. They all have utmost respect for the author's intention, and as director Leonard Foglia states, "It's always about fulfilling the author's intention. It all began with a script, and it will end with a script. In this show, the author's intention is front and center."

"Things Being What They Are" has been described as a "serious comedy," and I asked the cast what they thought about this description. Mr. d'Arcy James chuckled. "Sometimes the seriousness of the situation," he said, "can be extremely hilarious, depending on your point of view." Again we see the concepts of perception, perspective, and point of view as integral to the story.

Bay Street Theatre, with its cozy feel, will be the perfect forum for a play of such an intimate nature. Through this play, we will get to know these two men deeply. The stadium seating at Bay Street will allow every audience member to peer into the lives of the characters. They have much more to them than the first moments would express. And this is what great theatre is about: creating intricate, complex characters who defy stereotypes, and are so developed that they come alive for the audience.

The performance of "Things Being What They Are" has been a long time coming for director Leonard Foglia. The script came into his hands years ago, and he has been waiting for the right opportunity to see it performed. It sounds like it is all coming together perfectly, from the cozy theatre on the harbor to the award-winning cast. The characters may defy our expectations, but let's hope the show itself is as seamless as it seems.

Pay What You Can for "Things Being What They Are" is May 22 and is sponsored by BookHampton. Tickets for Pay What You Can are available on the day of the performance at the Bay Street Theatre Box Office beginning at 11 a.m. "Things Being What They Are" will be showing at Bay Street Theatre on the Long Wharf in Sag Harbor from May 22 through June 3. For tickets, please call the Bay Street box office at (631) 725-9500 or log onto www.baystreet.org.