“Never love something so much that you can’t let go of it.”
The wisdom of these words from former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty are illustrated beautifully in Dezart Performs’ final production of the season, Mr. Parker.
The new play by Michael McKeever (author of Daniel’s Husband, previously produced by Dezart) tells the story of 54-year-old New York author Terry Parker (David Pevsner), who has just lost his partner of 30 years following a traffic accident.
Terry’s grief has immobilized him. He’s stuck in the past, in many ways. He still uses a land-line telephone and an outdated answering machine, on which he has saved a month-old message from his late husband Jeff, just so he can hear his voice.
A night of heavy drinking culminates in Terry bringing home Justin (Nick Giedris), a 28-year-old bartender/Uber driver. What probably should have been just a one-night stand slowly evolves into a relationship, of sorts.
The two men have virtually nothing in common, and there’s quite a large age gap. Justin urges Terry to embrace current technology—to ditch the land line and use only his cell phone, and throw out his CDs and learn about iTunes and Spotify. When enthusiastically telling Terry, “You’re the shit!” Justin must reassure him that it’s a compliment. Despite these differences, something keeps the two connected.
Terry’s high-powered, no-nonsense sister-in-law, Cassie (Marsha Mercant), is highly skeptical about the relationship. Cassie managed her late brother Jeff’s successful art career for years, and she is concerned that Terry’s grief has blinded him to the reality (in her mind, at least) that Justin is only after his money. An ongoing issue is Terry’s procrastination in responding to the prestigious Whitney Museum’s request to do a retrospective of Jeff’s art work. To Cassie, it seems like one more way in which Terry is refusing to face the finality of Jeff’s death.
This intense, intimate, three-person play would not work without a trio of very strong actors. That is not a problem here: Director Randy Brenner and artistic director Michael Shaw chose consummate professionals to embody these characters.
In the pivotal role of Terry Parker, David Pevsner is perfection. Lost, grief-stricken and guilt-ridden, his Mr. Parker is struggling to find his way as a suddenly single, middle-aged gay man in an ever-changing world. We can all relate to his desire to cling to what seems to be the safety and normalcy of the past—though that past no longer exists. Pevsner has great charisma; he comes across as very likable, making the audience want to wrap him in a big, reassuring hug.
Nick Giedris is wonderful as Justin. Tall, lanky and full of energy, he’s well-cast as a youthful, hip, free-spirited gay man enjoying everything the Big Apple has to offer. He’s fascinated by this older, interesting and slightly out-of-touch artsy guy, and he keeps coming back again and again. Giedris ably conveys the caring heart underneath Justin’s superficiality. The actor’s rapid-fire speech is appropriate for a 20-something New York gay man, but there were a couple of times early in the play when it made his lines difficult to understand. Nonetheless, it was a strong performance. (Note: There is brief nudity early in the production.)
Rounding out the cast is Marsha Mercant, who is superb as Cassie. Smart, polished and sensible, she is a sophisticated businesswoman who wants to protect Jeff’s legacy in the art world. Mercant lets us see Cassie’s own struggle, to let go of her need to be in control and allow herself to mourn her brother. She truly cares about Terry and is genuinely trying to shield him from romantic heartbreak. Some actors have difficulty mastering the art of being still onstage; they could learn from Mercant. Even during moments when she has no dialogue and no movement, she is totally in the moment, and you feel Cassie’s simmering energy and emotion. She is truly a joy to watch.
Kudos to Brenner, who has elicited powerful performances from his cast. This is a true ensemble piece; the onstage relationships between these three came across as totally authentic. There was not one false note.
A special nod to Rick Bluhm for his impressive set, and to sound designer Clark Dugger for the excellent music, which created just the right mood.
Dezart Performs’ Mr. Parker is poignant, funny, warm and exceptionally well-acted. The performance I saw received a well-deserved standing ovation. The play is almost sold out—so get tickets if you can, and go see it.
Dezart Performs’ production of Mr. Parker is performed at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 7 p.m., Sunday; and 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, through Sunday, April 21, at the Pearl McManus Theater at the Palm Springs Woman’s Club, 314 S. Cahuilla Road, in Palm Springs. Tickets are $48, and the show runs 100 minutes, with no intermission. For more information, call 760-322-0179, or visit www.dezartperforms.com.
This piece was edited on April 16 to remove a potential spoiler.
Friends and I saw this magnificent play last evening. Every aspect from the writing, directing, acting, lighting and definitely set design made it one of if not the best theatre experiences we’ve had here in the Coachella Valley. I very much wish the CV Independent reviewer, Bonnie Gilgallon, had allowed other patrons the opportunity to experience the play unfold during their attendance. Her clumsy overtelling of this production is 180 degrees from the professional caliber of this theatrical production.