[NEohioPAL]"Must See" production of THE GUYS at Actors' Summit

[Thackaberr at aol.com]

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=E2=80=98Who went in when everyone else was trying to get out?=E2=80=99=20
By David Ritchey=20
HUDSON =E2=80=94 =E2=80=9CWho went in when everyone else was trying to get o=
ut?=E2=80=9D
This is the question that appears on the promotional material for a new play=
,=20
=E2=80=9CThe Guys,=E2=80=9D by Anne Nelson, now on stage at Actors=E2=80=99=20=
Summit Theater.=20
=E2=80=9CThe Guys=E2=80=9D is a simple story and is based on the aftermath o=
f the Sept. 11,=20
2001, terrorist attacks in New York City. The play begins Sept. 23, 2001, in=
 a=20
small apartment in Brooklyn, N.Y. Nick, a fire captain, contacts Joan, a=20
writer, and asks her to help him write some of the eulogies he must deliver=20=
at the=20
memorial services of his fallen firefighters. These are the ones =E2=80=94 i=
n answer=20
to the question =E2=80=94 who went into the burning buildings when everyone=20=
else was=20
trying to get out. Nick lists four men who died, but there are far more than=
=20
that number unaccounted for, and Nick doesn=E2=80=99t know what to say to th=
e families=20
of all those firefighters.=20
The play deals with grief. Some grief remains a private, internal pain that=20
is intimate and solitary. Other grief stems from a pain as sharp as a body=20
blow, a kick in the belly, a hard slap in the face. That grief must be share=
d;=20
that grief must be made public.=20
This production is an opportunity for public grief, an opportunity to watch=20
others and ourselves grieve. You don=E2=80=99t leave the theater thinking yo=
u were=20
entertained; you leave thinking you were glad to have been in the audience.=20
MaryJo Alexander plays Joan, who agrees to help Nick write the eulogies. Joa=
n=20
wants to help the survivors of the 9/11 tragedy, and she thinks writing the=20
eulogies could be her contribution.=20
This is a challenging role for any actor. Joan often speaks directly to the=20
audience in long monologues that provide her background. Yet, after she begi=
ns=20
working with Nick, she asks tough questions of the audience. After one=20
particularly emotional scene, Joan tells how New Yorkers would talk to stran=
gers=20
after 9/11 and ask, =E2=80=9CAre you OK?=E2=80=9D Finally, she walks to the=20=
audience and directly=20
asks, =E2=80=9CAre you OK?=E2=80=9D
Neil Thackaberry (Nick) plays the fire captain, whose grief seems to have no=
=20
end. At one point, Nick comments on a friend he lost in the tragedy.=20
=E2=80=9CI think he=E2=80=99ll walk through the door. I look up and think he=
=E2=80=99ll walk through=20
the door,=E2=80=9D the character says, as he is choked with grief.=20
As the two write the eulogies, they grieve for the four men whom Nick knows=20
for sure have died. Nick tells funny stories about the men and makes them hu=
man=20
to the audience. They become real men, with families, skills, foibles and a=20
sense of humor. At first the audience seems uncomfortable laughing at these=20
stories, but, as the scene progresses, the audience needs relief from the st=
rong=20
emotions and laughs with the performers. These are not funny one-liners; the=
se=20
are warm, loving stories that make the characters and the audience members=20
smile and, sometimes, laugh.=20
Late in the production, Thackaberry delivers one of the eulogies. Dressed in=
=20
his fireman=E2=80=99s coat and holding his hat under his arm, he reads the e=
ulogy. As=20
the reading progresses, his voice becomes thick, dark and low =E2=80=94 the=20=
voice of a=20
man whose vocal cords are coated with tears of grief. This is Thackaberry,=20
the actor, at his best.=20
=E2=80=9CThe Guys=E2=80=9D is a must-see production. The script is dazzling,=
 and the=20
performances are just as dazzling. This is a rare opportunity to see this ta=
lented=20
husband-and-wife work together on stage. Alexander and Thackaberry often per=
form=20
at Actors=E2=80=99 Summit, but they seldom   perform together. Years of marr=
iage have=20
helped hone Alexander=E2=80=99s and Thackaberry=E2=80=99s timing and ability=
 to look at each=20
other and communicate volumes. Fortunately, the audience can watch them look=
=20
at each other and read those volumes.=20
Credit must be given to director Alex Cikra, who is known in the area for hi=
s=20
fine work as an actor. According to the program, this is the first script he=
=20
has directed. He did a masterful job.=20
The production is short, only 75 minutes. However, I doubt if an audience=20
could sit through a longer production of such emotional intensity. I noted t=
hat=20
as the audience was leaving, many people nodded to each other and didn=E2=
=80=99t speak =E2=80=94
 much as they do at funerals. The production was that personal and that=20
emotionally involving.=20
The opportunity for grieving together continues through Oct. 3 with the=20
exquisite production of =E2=80=9CThe Guys=E2=80=9D at Actors=E2=80=99 Summit=
. For ticket information, call=20
(330) 342-0800.=20

David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in communications and is a professor of=20
communications at The University of Akron. He is a member of the American Th=
eatre Critics=20
Association.  =20

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<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext27><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">=E2=80=98Who went in when everyone else was trying to get ou=
t?=E2=80=99 </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetic=
a"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext20><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">By David Ritchey </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black;=20=
FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"C=
OLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">HUDSON</SPAN></SPAN></st1:place></st1:C=
ity><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica=
"> =E2=80=94 =E2=80=9CWho went in when everyone else was trying to get out?=
=E2=80=9D</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">=
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">This is the question that appears on the promotional materia=
l for a new play, =E2=80=9CThe Guys,=E2=80=9D by Anne Nelson, now on stage a=
t Actors=E2=80=99 Summit Theater. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black;=
 FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">=E2=80=9CThe Guys=E2=80=9D is a simple story and is based on=
 the aftermath of the </SPAN></SPAN><st1:date Month=3D"9" Day=3D"11" Year=
=3D"2001"><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Hel=
vetica">Sept. 11, 2001</SPAN></SPAN></st1:date><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN st=
yle=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">, terrorist attacks in </SPAN><=
/SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black;=
 FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">New York City</SPAN></SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><=
SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">. T=
he play begins </SPAN></SPAN><st1:date Month=3D"9" Day=3D"23" Year=3D"2001">=
<SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Se=
pt. 23, 2001</SPAN></SPAN></st1:date><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COL=
OR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">, in a small apartment in </SPAN></SPAN><=
st1:place><st1:City><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-F=
AMILY: Helvetica">Brooklyn</SPAN></SPAN></st1:City><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPA=
N style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">, </SPAN></SPAN><st1:State>=
<SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">N.=
Y.</SPAN></SPAN></st1:State></st1:place><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"=
COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> Nick, a fire captain, contacts Joan,=20=
a writer, and asks her to help him write some of the eulogies he must delive=
r at the memorial services of his fallen firefighters. These are the ones=20=
=E2=80=94 in answer to the question =E2=80=94 who went into the burning buil=
dings when everyone else was trying to get out. Nick lists four men who died=
, but there are far more than that number unaccounted for, and Nick doesn=
=E2=80=99t know what to say to the families of all those firefighters. </SPA=
N></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></S=
PAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">The play deals with grief. Some grief remains a private, int=
ernal pain that is intimate and solitary. Other grief stems from a pain as s=
harp as a body blow, a kick in the belly, a hard slap in the face. That grie=
f must be shared; that grief must be made public. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=
=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">This production is an opportunity for public grief, an oppor=
tunity to watch others and ourselves grieve. You don=E2=80=99t leave the the=
ater thinking you were entertained; you leave thinking you were glad to have=
 been in the audience. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMIL=
Y: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">MaryJo Alexander plays Joan, who agrees to help Nick write t=
he eulogies. Joan wants to help the survivors of the 9/11 tragedy, and she t=
hinks writing the eulogies could be her contribution. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN st=
yle=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">This is a challenging role for any actor. Joan often speaks=20=
directly to the audience in long monologues that provide her background. Yet=
, after she begins working with Nick, she asks tough questions of the audien=
ce. After one particularly emotional scene, Joan tells how New Yorkers would=
 talk to strangers after 9/11 and ask, =E2=80=9CAre you OK?=E2=80=9D Finally=
, she walks to the audience and directly asks, =E2=80=9CAre you OK?=E2=80=
=9D</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p><=
/o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">Neil Thackaberry (Nick) plays the fire captain, whose grief=20=
seems to have no end. At one point, Nick comments on a friend he lost in the=
 tragedy. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"=
><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">=E2=80=9CI think he=E2=80=99ll walk through the door. I look=
 up and think he=E2=80=99ll walk through the door,=E2=80=9D the character sa=
ys, as he is choked with grief. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; F=
ONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">As the two write the eulogies, they grieve for the four men=20=
whom Nick knows for sure have died. Nick tells funny stories about the men a=
nd makes them human to the audience. They become real men, with families, sk=
ills, foibles and a sense of humor. At first the audience seems uncomfortabl=
e laughing at these stories, but, as the scene progresses, the audience need=
s relief from the strong emotions and laughs with the performers. These are=20=
not funny one-liners; these are warm, loving stories that make the character=
s and the audience members smile and, sometimes, laugh. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN=20=
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">Late in the production, Thackaberry delivers one of the eulo=
gies. Dressed in his fireman=E2=80=99s coat and holding his hat under his ar=
m, he reads the eulogy. As the reading progresses, his voice becomes thick,=20=
dark and low =E2=80=94 the voice of a man whose vocal cords are coated with=20=
tears of grief. This is Thackaberry, the actor, at his best. </SPAN></SPAN><=
SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT=
></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">=E2=80=9CThe Guys=E2=80=9D is a must-see production. The scr=
ipt is dazzling, and the performances are just as dazzling. This is a rare o=
pportunity to see this talented husband-and-wife work together on stage. Ale=
xander and Thackaberry often perform at Actors=E2=80=99 </SPAN></SPAN><st1:C=
ity><st1:place><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY=
: Helvetica">Summit</SPAN></SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN class=3Dtext15=
><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">, but they seldom&nbsp=
;  perform together. Years of marriage have helped hone Alexander=E2=
=80=99s and Thackaberry=E2=80=99s timing and ability to look at each other a=
nd communicate volumes. Fortunately, the audience can watch them look at eac=
h other and read those volumes. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: b=
lack; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><BR><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15>Credit=
 must be given to director Alex Cikra, who is known in the area for his fine=
 work as an actor. According to the program, this is the first script he has=
 directed. He did a masterful job. </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">The production is short, only 75 minutes. However, I doubt i=
f an audience could sit through a longer production of such emotional intens=
ity. I noted that as the audience was leaving, many people nodded to each ot=
her and didn=E2=80=99t speak =E2=80=94 much as they do at funerals. The prod=
uction was that personal and that emotionally involving. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN=
 style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P=
>
<P><FONT size=3D3><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Helvetica">The opportunity for grieving together continues through Oct.=
 3 with the exquisite production of =E2=80=9CThe Guys=E2=80=9D at Actors=E2=
=80=99 </SPAN></SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=
=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Summit</SPAN></SPAN></st1:place></=
st1:City><SPAN class=3Dtext15><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helv=
etica">. For ticket information, call (330) 342-0800. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN st=
yle=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><BR><SPAN class=3Dte=
xt15><FONT size=3D3>David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in communications and is a pro=
fessor of communications at The University of Akron. He is a member of the A=
merican Theatre Critics Association.   </FONT></SPAN><o:p></o:p></=
SPAN></P></BODY></HTML>

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