Playwright Craig Wright demands something slightly different from the audience in his Pulitzer Prize-nominated play, The Pavilion. Instead of allowing us to get completely wrapped up in the play's two main characters, Wright demands that the audience examines its own lives right then, right there in the theater. Therefore, The Pavilion can wind up being a somewhat unsettling experience. Its unusual approach may not satisfy in the same way a more traditional treatment might do.
It opens with the appearance of a mysterious and somewhat other-worldly narrator, played here by Angela Ianonne. In her androgynous, silver tuxedo-styled outfit, she begins the play with a very long monologue about the beginning of the universe. Thankfully, Milwaukee's Next Act Theater has recruited an actor as skilled as Ianonne for this task. She could rivet an audience by reading the telephone book, one would think.
Following her exposition, we become aware of the setting: a 20th high-school reunion held in a small Minnesota town. This is a place where everyone knows everyone else and their business. The reunion is set in the ramshackle remains of an ancient pavilion. As the evening unfolds, the narrator pops in and out of the story. Two other characters in this three-person cast, Peter and Kari, were named the cutest couple by their classmates in 1980. In the play's off-Broadway debut in 2005 at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Stephen Bogardus played the narrator, with Jennifer Mudge and Brian D'Arcy James as the couple.
The story continues. Upon graduation, everyone assumed Peter and Kari would marry. Instead, there's a sudden twist. Peter left town without a word to Kari. This decision echoes through the two characters' lives for 20 years. Ridden with guilt and regret, Peter comes to the reunion with the hope he can turn back time. Of course, as the narrator points out, time only goes in one direction. "Always has, always will."
Kari, as one would expect, is very conflicted at Peter's unannounced appearance. Her acidic tongue makes it clear that she has been holding back her anger for 20 years. While he skipped town to start a new life, she was literally left behind to deal with her own future. She reminds Peter that she is now married and unavailable. Peter is not to be dismissed so easily. He tells her that his relationships in the past 20 years have failed because he "messed up" regarding his relationship with her so long ago. Both Peter and Kari are painfully aware of their lost opportunities and missed chances. They are leading miserable lives, and the playwright doesn't give us much hope for their future. He suggests that they must move on, wiser for the experience they shared.
Under the direction of David Cesarini, the play unfolds with precision. Mary MacDonald Kerr is spot-on as Kari. She is, by turns, nervous, angry, and wistful. As Peter, Mark Ulrich beautifully underplays his performance. His thinning hair is a visible reminder of the passing years. Actor Angela Ianonne impresses as the omnipresent narrator.
The rich interplay of their dialogue is enhanced by the play's technical aspects. The costumes are particularly noteworthy. In addition to the one tailored for Ianonne, MacDonald Kerr's outfit is an excellent creation as well. It's exactly what one would expect a small-town girl to wear to a reunion.
The set, too, is amazingly "right." Although the play is set in Minnesota, one could easily imagine these meticulously detailed surroundings supporting a Tennessee Williams' play. Just add some hanging moss. The subtle lighting enhances the set and creates its own sense of hazy memories.
This touching play is lighthearted at times, with humor tempering the more sobering aspects of getting older. The playwright reminds us that, for better or worse, high-school reunions are all about recalling memories. Perhaps they are a good time to chart a new course for one's future as well.
