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How is Porchlight doing? Just Finn, thanks.

Sunday May 22, 2005.     By Ed Rutherford

Theater Feed

It's been a big season for Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago. This is its tenth anniversary season, and it got things off to a good start with a smash hit production of the Sondheim show "Sweeney Todd," followed by the successful Maltby and Shire revue, "Closer Than Ever." It has been an ambitious season that is about to become even more ambitious: The company is about to run four shows in repertory, all by musical theater writer William Finn, as a Finn Festival. Centerstage had the opportunity to speak with some of the directors and actors involved in the project, and has the skinny on each of the shows: "In Trousers," "Falsettos," "A New Brain" and "Elegies: A Song Cycle."

In Trousers

This is the first written of the musicals; it's actually a prequel of sorts to "Falsettos." The musical is the story of Marvin (played by actor Joe Schenck), a man who realizes he is homosexual after he has married and fathered a child. In a series of alternately comedic and dramatic songs, he flashes back to various moments in his childhood, teens and adulthood with the help of his wife Trina, his high school sweetheart and his no-nonsense grade school teacher, Miss Goldberg.

Schenck has enjoyed the challenge of playing Marvin. "This character is so unlike any character I've ever really had a chance to get my hands on. He's selfish, neurotic, sweet, and funny, a hero and a tragic figure all at once." Favorite moments of his include "How Marvin Eat His Breakfast," a song in which Marvin throws a fit on one of his childhood birthdays, even flinging objects at the maid, and "Set Those Sails," a gospel style song in which fellow actress Bethany Thomas gets to really rock out.

Falsettos

William Finn continues the story of Marvin in this musical, which originally was two musicals produced separately; "March of the Falsettos" and "Falsettoland." Marvin is with his lover Whizzer, but wants to maintain a loving relationship with Trina and his troubled son, Jason. Thrown into the mix is Mendel, Marvin's psychiatrist who develops feelings for Trina. In the end, Marvin must learn about growing up, as well as how to deal with great personal loss; the year is 1981, the advent of the AIDS epidemic.

Nate Johnson, who plays Marvin in "Falsettos," admires the character's commitment to his family, and especially enjoys singing the heart rending ballad that ends the show, "What Would I Do?" Director Steve Scott feels a personal connection to the work; he was roughly the same age as the characters in 1981, and was "dealing with a lot of the same issues," as well as loving the music, characters and story.

A New Brain

This is a more autobiographical musical. In this story, songwriter Gordon Michael Schwinn, who feels he is wasting his talent writing songs for a bad children's show, is hospitalized due to a severe brain problem. His mother, lover, agent and (hallucinated frog) employer all rush to his side, and as he fights for his life he is permanently changed. William Finn himself was hospitalized, and "A New Brain" is deeply influenced by his experience.

Porchlight has produced this show before; half of the original cast has returned for the Festival. Actress Suzanne Genz, who played Gordon's mother in the original production, finds playing her again "quite exciting. It's a nice opportunity to come back to her with a few more years of life experience." She also feels as if she has gained valuable knowledge about the writer's mother (on whom her character is based) by listening to the final show in the Finn Festival:

Elegies: A Song Cycle

If "A New Brain" isn't enough of a look at the writer's own experience, "Elegies: A Song Cycle" (a Chicago premiere) gives the audience a look at the friends, family, and even pets of William Finn that have passed on. In songs that are touching, but also surprisingly peppy and funny, Finn has written this song cycle in tribute to his loved ones.

Porchlight Artistic Director L. Walter Stearns (who is also directing "A New Brain") is confident that the show will land with the audience, even though many of the songs are about specific people the author has known and with whom theatergoers may be unfamiliar. For example, much of the material is "in commemoration to his mother, and the influence she had on him. Even though we don't know [Bill] Finn's mother, we all have our own mothers."

While seeing all four shows in one weekend isn't possible due to the schedule, one can come pretty close. This writer recommends seeing "In Trousers" and "Falsettos" back to back, if possible. "A New Brain" and "Elegies: A Song Cycle" make good pairings as well. Above all, take this opportunity to get a much deeper understanding of the work of a music theatre author whose star continues to rise (another show of his, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is currently transferring to Broadway.)

The William Finn Festival runs from March 19 to May 22 at Theatre Building Chicago (1225 W. Belmont) with shows on 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Box office: (773) 327-5252