Arizona Theatre Company's Rocket Man at Herberger Theatre
(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 4/5/98
(out of )In these times of witty dismissals, rampant satirical mockery and off-handed deconstructionalism, few playwrights seem to want to discover explanations. It's easy to condemn, or to mock, or to find the one loose thread in a belief system that, when pulled, causes it to collapse. What's difficult is to take an inexplicable situation, such as the death of a loved one, and to create scenarios that are eloquent, mystical, and comforting, without ripping down other supports in the meanwhile. It is this difficult journey which popular contemporary playwright Steven Dietz attempts with his world premiere of Rocket Man at Arizona Theatre Company.
Director David Ira Goldstein has collected an impressive cast and design crew to mount this difficult intellectual pondering of a difficult emotional situation. The lead character, Donny, has come unstuck in time. He is losing weeks and months of his life, overwhelmed by the emotional and spiritual void that his never-fulfilled dreams of landscape architecture have left behind. Donny prepares for a long journey, an attempt to take that "road not taken." He begins to give away the physical things of his life, and to release the bonds he has with his best friend, Buck, his ex-wife Rita and daughter Trisha, and his soul mate, Louise. The seeming result is suicidal, though the second act of the play offers something much more thoughtful, and possibly hopeful, through the potential loss. In some realms, this is a very sad show, but on higher, more thought provoking levels, the ultimate message is a positive one.
Mr. Goldstein does a commendable job giving life to a play that has more thought than action at it's heart. There are moments when people wax poetic for long periods of time, but the pacing of the show and the witty repartee that balances these moments help to steer the show through dark waters and keep it from foundering. The strongest of a wonderful cast is Kurt Rhoads as the despairing explorer Donny. Mr. Rhoads, who was last seen in the season-opener at ATC, Blithe Spirit, is unrecognizable from his earlier role. He manages to balance the deep despair of this character with a solid dose of tongue-in-cheek ryeness that keeps those around him, and the audience, off-balance.
Great performances come from Carol Roscoe as Donny's sixteen year-old daughter Trisha, and from Lauren Tewes as sleepless seminary student and former potential love interest Louise. Ms. Roscoe performs the rapid emotional swings of her character fluidly, and, while a bit heavy-handed at the most dramatic of moments, still remains genuine when it counts. Ms. Tewes, who can finally let her cruise director days onboard The Love Boat sink into the past, shows off her great comic timing and intense emotional reservoir.
Solid in their roles are Michael Winters as the best friend and second coming of Noah, Buck, and Pamela Stewart as the gal-on-the-go ex-wife Rita. Mr. Winters' character is sometimes more symbol than sidekick, making his job a little harder, and Ms. Stewart's character spends more of the first act spoken of than speaking, but even with these problems, both actors do fine jobs.
Kudos go to Scott Weldin's Scenic Design, and Rick Paulsen's Lighting Design. The set and lighting are as realistic as they need to be, but assembled in such a way as to reveal deeper journeys when called upon. Carolyn Keim's costumes are solid, and Brian Jerome Peterson's sound is well-handled.
Not since last year's The Illusion has a play made me
this elated, depressed and introspective. There are so many wonderful
and insightful observations and absolute gems of lines. There's
no way to avoid getting misty eyed no matter how positively you
look at this piece, but to simply dismiss it as "dark"
is to miss the meaning of the beautiful tableau at the end. Rocket
Man is an enjoyable evening for all, from casual viewer to intellectual
spelunker.
Production Details:
Rocket Man by Steven Dietz
Herberger Theatre, Phoenix
252-8497 or 503-5555
April 4th-April 26th, 1998