Assassins 2007

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Who are these people? These people who take it upon themselves to “rub out” relatively important people, people like the President of the United States? What drives them? What makes them tick? How did they become who they became? Most importantly, why? Or perhaps in some case, why not?

(Left to Right) Tyler Collins, Jenny Hecht, Todd Coulter, Rich Hicks, Brian Hutchinson, Gregg Adams, Jessica Clare, David Kincannon, & Ken Paul in Assassins.

By popular demand, Next Stage remounted its award-winning production of Steven Sondheim’s controversial musical Assassins in their new home at The Aurora Fox.

Assassins feeds on combining myth and historical fact, adding its own poetic license, which is perfectly OK, piquing the imagination to want to know more.

In 2005, under the direction of Gene Kato, the production knocked the socks off the theatre community and audience with this Tony Award-winning musical that dared to challenge the premise of musicals. Musicals can be serious and humorous at the same time, and Sondheim insisted exploring the behind the scenes profiles of nine assassins and would-be assassins of Presidents of the United States.

Eleven of the original 15 cast members reprise their original roles along with director Kato, music director Janelle Christie, and choreographer Lindsey Hanahan. With only two weeks rehearsal, the additional four “new actors to the show” grabbed their characters by the throat, disappeared behind the historical figures’ demeanors and joined in ownership of the show along with the entire production team.

Sometimes a reprisal of an award-winning production shows up less than what it was. Not this show. It speaks with the strength and power cuddled with laughable moments and poignant insights as it did two years ago.

Granted, on opening night a tinge of roughness around the edges poked its nose in and out of a few scenes. There they were with two weeks rehearsal on a larger stage with spaces to fill and grow accustomed to. No big deal. It was clear from the first note of Martha Yordy’s keyboard and her musicians situated behind the set on center stage this production was going to fly as strongly, if not stronger, then it did the first time.

Next Sage has an incredible habit of wrapping itself snugly into the heart and soul of every production they tackle, even if the heart is slightly blackened and the soul a little misguided. Most definitely, Assassins is no exception.

If you missed this production two years ago, do not miss it this time. Even if you saw it two years ago, do not miss this production.

On Kato’s set of a carnival atmosphere covered with American flags, Assassins begins with a jolt including the nine assassins singing Everybody’s Got The Right — “to be different, even though at times they go to extremes.” A phrase used a million times over generally referring to the young, the bold, the beautiful, the wealthy, the gifted, the talented, the bright, the striking, but does it also refer to the assassins? Why Not? Isn’t that the American Dream?

In the carnival atmosphere, Ken Paul barks as The Proprietor “Hey Pal, Kill a President” grabbing the attention of everyone within earshot. Paul also portrays Garfield and Ford and blends in with the Ensemble. “Paul sets the stage and then wears it” projecting shudders, humor and arrowed thoughts.

As the Balladeer, Jeremy Sortore plays part Narrator, part audience sympathizer, part prodding conscience toward the assassins, part prosecutor, part defender with his golden tenor voice.

Brian Hutchinson explodes onto stage in pain and agony as John Wilkes Booth after shooting President Lincoln at the Ford Theatre. Representing the thoughts of many others of his time, Booth desperately believes Lincoln was wrong in spite of the Balladeer’s insinuation Booth suffered as a has been actor from “bad reviews.” Hutchinson shakes the rafters in contrast to Sortore’s gentle but biting questions.

In elegant formal black suit and hat attire, and a stoic determined expression Paul Page steps into Charles Guiteau’s well-polished shoes with a dream in his head and a $15.00 pearl handle revolver in his hand. Talented and educated, Guiteau dabbled as evangelist, lawyer, and politician now wanting to be Ambassador of France. It was his American Dream. At the Potomac Railroad Station in Washington D.C. July 2, 1881 he approached President James Garfield declaring loudly and boldly what he wanted. When the only response he got was laughter, he shot Garfield in the back without hesitation. Page’s Guiteau creeps the spine because he looks good, strong, elegant, refined hiding a twisted ego. Page’s inside-outside stance reveals the conflicted Guiteau.

David Kincannon’s Giuseppe Zangara clutches his stomach from years of physical pain. He’s tried everything from the ridiculous to the sublime to find relief. Born in Italy, his father put him to work when he was six-years-old after his mother died. Nothing he did brought peace of mind or body. Kincannon reflects the agony experienced by Zangara in excruciating detail. During verbal complaining someone suggests shooting the President might help. Eager to try anything, with a $4.00 pistol he attempted to shoot President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt at Bayfront Park, Miami, Florida February 16, 1933. Barely five feet tall, he missed, shooting Chicago’s Mayor Anton Cermak instead.

Tall, lanky Rich Hicks provides a moment of comic relief surrounded by a tinge of scariness, appearing in a disorderly Santa Claus suit recording a message to Leonard Bernstein as Sam Byek driving his car. Believing love songs are the answers, Hicks’ Byek rambles to Bernstein that his songs made people listen, but no one is listening now. Hicks displays the pent up anger with taunt facial expressions, and tight physicality. Humorous yes. Chilling, by all means. Byck grew up in an economic depressed family in Philadelphia. Married with four children, unable to keep a job, failing at several businesses. Because of severe depression, he spent time in a psychiatric hospital blaming the government for keeping the poor man down. Anger and hatred turned toward Richard Nixon. Driving to the airport, with plans to hijack a 747 to dive bomb the White House, he taped thoughts to Nixon declaring, “there was no Santa Claus.” After his attempted assassination of Nixon in 1972, when questioned by the Secret Service, he claimed it was only a joke. The Secret Service wasn’t laughing. Hicks is stunning in his raggle taggle Santa Claus suit displaying Byck’s illogical out of control angry thoughts.

Leon Czolgosz born in Detroit of Polish immigrant parents survived menial jobs, suffered a nervous breakdown at a bottle company and became an anarchist. Inspired by the assassination of Italy’s King Umberto, he went to the Pan American Exposition, Buffalo, New York September 6, 1981 and shot President William McKinley at point blank with a $4.50 gun wrapped in a handkerchief. Gregg Adams digs deep to show a tormented man wanting attention for the common American worker. Czolgosz wanted to be heard. He didn’t have a voice, and he didn’t know where and how to get one. Adams crawls the spine with his powerful voice and stance and inside secret thoughts of a struggling worker shut out of the American Dream.

Placing Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme and Sara Jane Moore, who both sought to assassinate President Gerald Ford, on a park bench is sheer genius, although undoubtedly they never met.

The casting of Jenny Hecht as Fromme and Jessica Clare as Moore, reviving their original roles is also sheer genius. Hecht with her uncanny likeness to Fromme displaying the undying loyalty to the horrific Charlie Manson in a juxtaposition counterpoint to the very funny, silly, and absent minded housewife demeanor of Moore played hysterically by Clare is also sheer genius. Hecht’s confused detailed expressions speak volumes against Clare’s silliness particularly when Clare’s Moore shoots her dog just to prove that beyond the funniness calculates a dangerous woman.

Tyler Collins tears the heart with his interpretation of John Hinkley determined in a mass of confusion to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. Collins captures the alone desperation of a fevered tormented man.

Ironically and chilling, it is the others who convince him that by competing the act he will finally belong somewhere, to them and with them, securing an important place in history. No one will ever forget the name of John Hinckley. No one ever has.

The song Something Is Broke, confirming the shattering of the American Dream, leaves a poignant if-only-it-could-be-denied taste in the mouth and rattle in the soul.

Sondheim’s brilliant music reflects the music of the specific times from pop to Broadway flash, to Sousa marches, to folk songs.

The lyrics for Everybody’s Got The Right, The Ballad of Booth, How I Saved Roosevelt, The Ballad of Czolgosz, Unworthy of Your Love, The Ballad of Guiteau, and Another National Anthem with the strong voices of this cast stir conflicting emotions from thrilling, humorous, laughability, sadness, heartbreak, and mind probing intrigue.

Karla Puskas’ costume design not only speaks to the specific periods of time, but also suits the characters and actors to a tee.

The addition of Michelle Mertz as Emma Goldman strengthens Goldman’s place in history. Mertz defines and projects a strong determined independent woman even with the insinuation she not only inspired Czolgosz to fire at McKinley, but may have actually put him up to it. Their scene together crawls the spine even though dyed-in-the-wool Goldman scholars heartedly disagree. Possibilities do exist that somehow manage to escape recorded history.

Poignant, humorous, exciting, mind probing, Next Stage’s remounted production of Assassins remains a WOW demonstrating their incredible attention to detail and why popular demand brought it back. Should not be missed under any circumstances.