Leading the production was two-time Tony winner Judy Kaye (Nice Work If You Can Get It) and Robert Cuccioli (Jekyll & Hyde) who inhabit their roles of “Mary” & “Micheal” with the deft touch of Broadway veterans. They both show incredible pathos and grace as recently re-married elders who met and fell in love enrolled in a spousal survivors group.
The play opens with a cheerful birthday celebration. Well dressed participants gather in a smart family living room introducing charming matriarch “Mary” Judy Kaye – who is in remission. Her attentive spouse “Micheal” Robert Cuccioli and Mary’s successful adult children, Driven Eldest Daughter “Lucy” Amy Hargreaves (Homeland), Braggadocios Son “Jason” Dominick LaRuffa Jr. (The Irishman), Sensitive Artist “Anne” Whitney Morse (The Violet Sisters) and Lucy’s plucky teenage son “Nick” Michael Lee Brown (Dear Evan Hansen).
The story is enhanced by the resonant script by Ms. Coplan under the brisk, sure direction of Director Chad Austin. The quiet scenes between Judy Kaye’s “Mary” & Micheal Lee Brown’s “Nick” were in my opinion, the most poignant and grounded the production. They rang with such truth.
The apparently happy family is jockeying with eachother producing lavish and sentimental gifts, falling into familiar patterns of sibling rivalries, rapidly exchanging pithy barbs and jibes. Then the mood subtly shifts, the tone darkens with foreboding.
Jokes turn brittle. It becomes evident that something is amiss. Mom’s cancer returns, with a vengeance. The dialogue grows increasingly sharp once truths are revealed the story unfolds, dormant frictions increase and build like discordant piano notes.
This family will be changed forever.
The play, inspired by Coplan’s own story of personal loss, highlights the special challenges and unique issues that well spouses and family members face daily. She unflinchingly shares the realities of individuals caring for a chronically ill and/or disabled spouse/partner.
This ensemble cast shines!
As this play deftly illustrates, daily stresses of home hospice care often bring out the best and worst in all involved. The life time accumulation of guilt harboring long buried secrets (that I won’t divulge in my review), simmered then laid bare the emotional cores of complex, often mercurial relationships between the three adult siblings, Morse, LaRuffa Jr. and Hargreaves all giving weighty, nimble performances.
Delivering the most adversarial exchanges between forward-leaning eldest daughter “Lucy” (Hargreaves) and her jovial proselytizing stepfather “Micheal”(Cuccioli). Who’s “dad jokes” gave much needed levity throughout. One joke about lawyers was particularly funny, but ill received by lawyer Lucy.
There are interesting subplots involving assisted suicide and addiction that are neither stigmatized nor sensationalized but vital to the narrative and handled respectfully.
Judy Kaye & Robert Cuccioli in ’Til Death Off-Broadway. Photography Credit: Julieta Cervantes.
The set design was inspired. With clever slide projections shot on the elaborately constructed scenery — interspersed old family photos, dates, vacation remembrances and oncology reports.
The bookended transitions served to flesh out the story. Providing exposition, punctuating the previous scene, denoted time passages and shorthand updates for the audience in between scenes.
These visual cues were a testament to the combined genius of the creative teams storytelling led by Director Chad Austin and production staff that includes – lighting designer Dawn Chiang, scenic designer Teresa L. Williams, projection designer Lisa Renkel, costume designer Antonio Consuegra, prop designer Nicole Emmons, and sound designer Jesse Starr and Allison Hohman production stage manager.
The story is enhanced by the resonant script by Ms. Coplan under the brisk, sure direction of Director Chad Austin. The quiet scenes between Judy Kaye’s “Mary” & Micheal Lee Brown’s “Nick” were in my opinion, the most poignant and grounded the production. They rang with such truth.
Candidly exchanging private thoughts and personal experiences the relationship between this grandmother and grandson was very special. The way they interacted illustrated their shared joy and happiness which only made the stark realities of losing eachother all the more tragic.
Upon leaving the theater, one of the ushers observed that there were audience members in tears. And as I reflected upon the sad and beautiful elements of the production,
I realized I was one of them.
’Til Death
Off-Broadway premiere, playing Theatre Row’s Theatre 5 began November 19 ahead of a November 30 opening night. Performances will continue through December 23.
‘Til Death is performed without an intermission and the performance is approximately 90 minutes.
Tickets are available at BFANY.org.
all art -Abingdon Theater Company / Julieta Cervantes
