By VERONIQUE DUPREY
A Seat on the Aisle
I had the pleasure of seeing A Jukebox for the Algonquin at Epilogue Players on Friday, Sept. 12.
The new (2023) play, written by Paul Stroili, and directed by Therese Burns and Amanda Greene, comes with the tagline “A serious comedy about sex, drugs, and rocking chairs,” which gives you an idea of the tone – prude ears should stay home, as it contains some language and crude humor. But anyone who can watch a PG-13 movie, or survived the raunchy (yet G-rated) comedies of the 80s, should come out for a night of excellent entertainment with humor, tender-hearted moments, and life commentary.
The story takes place in the Algonquin Room, a less-frequented lounge room of a senior care facility in upstate New York. That set alone is worth the price of admission; kudos to Andrew Burnett, Melody Burnett, and Therese Burns for the design, and to the set construction team, for taking us to the Adirondacks in a flashback to summers at the cottage.
The cast for A Jukebox for Algonquin. (Photo by Rob Slaven / IndyGhostLight.com)
There, we spend some time with a few residents and staff members, as the former navigate living their senior years with less autonomy and in community and the latter, working in a caretaking field while balancing needs and rules. Though not yet at the senior stage of life, I thoroughly enjoyed the comedy, sweetness, and sadness of the friendships and situations. My daughter who works in an assisted living facility thought the script was right on the money, with those exact songs, activities, and struggles part of the daily life there. I am told the playwright worked in a similar facility at some point, which explains the authenticity.
The cast of mostly veteran local actors is well-suited to this type of realistic representation, avoiding caricature and making each person a real, normal human being, and the script generously gives each one a moment to shine. Onis Dean, Duane Mercier, and Wendy Brown work especially well together as long-time residents, familiar with each other’s quirks, and Albert Lahrman III’s Dust Mop Guy develops into a more layered character. Direction and pacing was generally efficient, notwithstanding some hurried deliveries – fast speeches may work in New York but are harder to understand in a theater.
Bottom line: This is a fun and touching show about life and people, proving roots do matter, but friendships and common goals also bind people together – well written and well executed. I recommend you get your tickets and visit the Algonquin Room, this weekend and next; be prepared to laugh, perhaps cry, and want to visit your older relatives while you still can!
I also commend Epilogue for taking a chance on an unknown play slightly out of their usual fare.
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