Todd James Smeltzer Production's Mass Appeal at The Tempe Performing Arts Center
(out of 
)Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Reviewed 1/2/98
(out of )During the late '70s and early '80s, Broadway presented a slew of Catholic-themed plays and musicals. One of the most memorable of this group was Mass Appeal, a two person play about a staid older priest beloved by his upper-class congregation having to tutor an upstart deacon who has differing views on the role and responsibilities of the parish priest. Fortunately, the play does not try to take on every hot button topic guaranteed to make all of us recovering Catholics giggle or seethe. While it does touch on a few of the old favorites, such as the old guard versus the new wave, homosexuality, and religious convictions in secular times, it gives a different enough bent to keep this play topical nearly twenty years after its first theatrical production and subsequent film.
Gerald Thomson, fresh from of his triumphant direction of Stagebrush's impressive The Elephant Man, has cast two valley community theatre veterans in the roles of Father Farley and Deacon Daulton. These roles are not easily handled, so it is fortunate that Marty Berger and Matthew Carey are up to the challenge of playing these feuding men of the cloth. Mr. Thomson uses clean and precise staging coupled with a slightly different interpretation of the script to carry the show from confrontational start to bittersweet end.
As Father Farley, the beloved priest who has fallen into the rut of telling his congregation what they want to hear to retain his revered status, Marty Berger does a wonderful job. His seemingly flip attitude works well with the presentation of the troubled pastor. Mr. Berger is able to bring across the priest's slightly drunken anaesthetizing and social prostheletyzing, yet easily cracks open the door to reveal Father Farley's own closeted skeletons during a particularly dramatic moment in the first act. Save for a few factual flubs, those that probably only a recovering Catholic would notice (not kissing his vestments when taking them on and off, reversing the sign of the cross), Mr. Berger has conveyed the good and bad sides of Father Farley in a generally convincing way.
As Father Farley's alter-ego and belligerent student, Matthew Carey is a little older than Deacon Daulton is usually played, and his interpretation is different than most use for the role. At one point, Deacon Daulton is described to the congregation by Father Farley as having a bit of "James Dean" in him, and most performers take this cue and play him with the sense of a rebel. Mr. Carey, though, uses his age and his meticulous nature to create a Deacon Daulton who has experienced the world and has now chosen whole-heartedly to pursue his faith. This staunch commitment and, lacking a better description, anal-retentive quality mixed with his age make for an intriguing Deacon. Rather than raising his voice and rebelling in standard, youthful ways, Mr. Carey retains an even tone and insistent quality which are nearly every bit as effective. There were a few moments where Mr. Carey's even-keeled nature was not as dramatic a choice as a volatile one would have been, but these moments did not hinder the overall drama of the show.
Visually, the stage is divided between Father Farley's office and the ever-present pulpit and crucifix behind, and Todd James Smeltzer's scenic design allows sufficient room for movement by the actors. Mike Eddy's lighting is generally effective, save for some shadows on the actors face's while using the pulpit, usually during the most dramatic moments of the show. Paul Coutrerus' sound design was also sufficient, though the hilarious coughing sequence included an annoying hiss that belied its prerecorded roots. Michelle Farrell's costumes were also generally effective, although the mixing of vestment colors was a Catholic no-no, and Mr. Carey's black pants read dark blue under the lights in the office setting.
For those of you afraid of seeing yet another show dealing
with homosexual priests or jokes about celibacy, take heed; this
is not the same old Catholic-drubbing. The topics are weighty
without being unwieldy, the characters are easy to understand
and like, and the themes are relevant for papist and non-papist
alike. Also, Mr. Thomson's production is well-handled and well-cast,
with different enough spin to make this show an interesting post-holiday
choice.
Production Details:
Mass Appeal
Tempe Performing Arts Center, Tempe
968-0163
December 31, 1997-January 18, 1998
$9-$12