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The Last Session The first real close friend of mine to die from AIDS was my childhood best friend, Gary. When I was told he had died, I drove straight to a Catholic church, went inside and proceeded to sob, scream and yell at God. I had never felt so empty. Since then, I have lost some very close and dear friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to this disease. It is strange how society has changed since the first wave took so many. Its no longer at the forefront of today's issues, and many feel as though the many medications available now are a cure. What is more shocking is how our younger generation seems to think nothing of it, as though it is no longer here, which adds more evidence to the theories in articles and surveys stating that there is a significant rise in AIDS among teens. Alas, the second major wave is coming closer. When creators of musical theater decide to use actual situations, people, and events that surround our society and set them to music, it can be a very tricky project to pull off. Sometimes the material does not bring out the human emotion in a realistic manner, but instead it comes out false and pretentious. Other times, productions come nowhere near to bringing out human compassion, but instead create forced emotion, leaving the audience looking at their watches. The Last Session is a musical that takes place in a recording studio in Burbank, California. We come upon Gideon (Scott A. Eckert), a composer who is recording his own music, and who is planning to kill himself after the recording session. Thus, in a way we are seeing him compose and record his own death requiem. He has decided to stop fighting his personal battle with his body, for he has AIDS. Gideon is being assisted in this goodbye recording by Jim (Ted Wold), who is not only a close friend of Gideon, but also a recording engineer. Gideon has invited his ex-wife Vicki (Sara Shelby-Martin) and another close friend Tryshia (Denise Lee) to help him with vocals for his recording. Gideon had invited another friend, but he could not make it, so in his place arrives Buddy (Jeff Kinman), a very devout Baptist who also happens to be a great fan of Gideon's music. Buddy has no idea that Gideon is gay. And no one knows about Gideon's suicide plan. For the most part, this is a very moving and deeply touching musical. Where the major problems lie are within the book. Jim Brochu's book tends to become too heavy handed in its preaching of religion and homosexuality. Another major book problem begs this question: Why is it that when it comes to someone that has AIDS, there has to be the obligatory cough to signify that this person is sick? There is no foreshadowing that Gideon is truly ill, nor is there any hint in the performance to let us know how ill he is, until that second act cough. This comes off anticlimactic and shortchanges both the performance and the audience. When the focus of the book stays squarely on the relationships between Gideon and his friends, the piece comes alive in heartrending beauty and compassion. As for Steve Schalchlin's score, it is simply glorious with its mellifluous harmonies and clear melodic writing. The ten songs in the score show a mixture of rock, pop, soul and gospel and are written from Gideon's point of view regarding his mind, heart, and what is happening around him in his life. Schalchlin's lyrics display wonderful subtext for the emotion or situation being explored at that moment in the piece. My three personal favorite songs within the score would be the haunting ballad "Going It Alone," the gospel flavored "The Singer and The Song," and "When You Care." Doug Miller's direction shows great promise. Though his blocking is somewhat lacking in focus, subtext, and purpose for much of the evening, Miller already has one aspect of directing perfectly pact down: pace. He has given the piece a very spontaneous and energetic pace that fits the emotion perfectly. Miller's greatest talent may be casting. He seems to have a perfect eye for casting the best talent, and it shows big time with this company. Each thespian is perfectly cast and bring so much to the table. While there are some acting choices at times that are questionable, they are minor in comparison to the overall effect of the piece. Gideon has got to be a very difficult role to cast. The actor playing the role must be able to sing well and play the piano beautifully. That's not even counting being able to conduct the other singers on stage, set the pace and tempo for the songs, and, of course, to act. Scott A. Eckert succeeds in all of these requirements. He delivers a moving and touching performance as Gideon. Eckert plays the electronic piano and conducts the other singers with pure professionalism. He wears Gideon's heart on his sleeve and, through his singing and acting, honestly shows the emotional battle within. Eckert's finest vocal moment comes in the ballad, "Connected." Gideon has a very emotional breakdown in act two, and while the cough is anti-climactic, Eckert brings back the humanity and pain when you see honest tears in his eyes. He is terrific in the role. Jeff Kinman has the finest singing voice in the cast. In fact he is the best male singer I have heard this entire season. Kinman's vocals are clean, clear, crisp, and rich in volume and sound. This incredible voice also has a strong, solid vibrato that keeps the tenor notes sounding lush and elegant. The others on stage comment on Buddy as being this young kid, and while Kinman does possess a boyish face, he still looks older than what the other characters make him out to be. But the actor gives off an aura of exuberance and of being oblivious to what is being said around him which helps offset the physical issue. Kinman makes the moving ballad "Going It Alone" one of the best solos of the evening. Sara Shelby-Martin sings with a dark soprano voice that has a belt that would make you believe she is Ethel Merman's daughter. This voice rests on a vibrato that supports her belting notes like steel iron. Martin adds strength and honest compassion to the song "Somebody's Friend." In act two there is a major dramatic situation that generates tears from everyone on stage. Martin's outburst in this scene is a little forced; it needs to be more restrained and more organically cathartic. But she still does present an injured heart with her honest tears that streak down her face, and this overrides her earlier acting choice. Martin also gives brutal honesty to the lyrics in the song "The Group," showing just how outstanding a performer she is. Denise Lee portrays Tryshia, whose son is Gideon's godson. Lee gives a phenomenal performance, both in singing and acting. She has a soprano voice that can sound ethereal one moment and then transform into a booming, powerful gospel voice that would rip the roof off any theater. Lee's magnificent and euphonious singing wraps around such songs as "The Preacher and the Nurse" and "The Singer and the Song" that is just amazing to hear. Lee also handles the comedy with finesse; she is hysterical with her dead-on comedic pace and timing. Her characterization is a mixture of earth mother, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Lena Horne, and even Whoopi Goldberg. She is the star of the evening. All four of these performers without a doubt provide the best ensemble singing done this entire theatrical season. Their tight, luxurious harmonies create a wall of voice and music that is marvelous to hear and experience. Although Ted Wold's Jim has not one song to sing, he does add some hilarious one liners and zingers that are sprinkled throughout the evening. Sadly, his character is somewhat hindered by having him behind a completely black slab of glass, so we see none of his facial expressions. Nonetheless, Wold provides a mirthful and amusing performance. Kudos also go to the set and scenic design of Andy Redmon and Liz Horn. The look of the set and its dressing authentically resemble a recording studio, right down to the various lighting units on the set. Julie Simmons' lighting also earns laudation. She creates soothing emotional lighting for various songs as the evening progresses. Her use of lighting just the faces of the actors in natural light, while around them is bold color, adds a lot to the overall visual effect of the evening. If you are a fan or a performer of musical theater, this is a must see. Not very many theater companies are willing to produce and mount new musicals, let alone one that never reached Broadway, but played to great acclaim Off-Broadway in New York and in Los Angeles. Uptown Players has boldly mounted a noteworthy production that has some of the most gorgeous singing of the season and in the process tug at your heart as well. The Last Session plays through September 29 at the Trinity River Arts Center. Call
214-219-2718 for tickets and info. The Last Session CAST Gideon...................................Scott A. Eckert Jim......................................Ted Wold Tryshia..................................Denise Lee Vicki....................................Sara Shelby-Martin Buddy....................................Jeff Kinman |
