Michael Shaw, Artistic Director of Dezart Performs has capped the 2023-2024 season with what I believe to be the best offering this year, Michael McKeever’s “MR. PARKER.” Meticulously directed by Randy Brenner, the play makes you laugh one second then instantly tugs at your heartstrings the next.
Due to a car accident, Mr. Terry Parker (David Pevsner) has recently lost his husband of 6 years although they were a couple for 30 years. Terry was a one-time published author who backed away from writing, he says, to help his partner become a commercially successful artist. Now after months of sadness and isolation, he wakes up with a very chatty 28 year-old whom he can’t remember picking up or even his name….it’s Justin (Nick Giedris). He is also getting frequent calls from his sister-in-law, Cassie (Marsha Mercant) regarding a showing of his late husband’s work at the Whitney Museum. She has always been in charge of the business-end of her brother‘s career but now needs Terry’s signature before she can firm up the deal. Only he is not returning her calls and the clock is ticking towards the museum pulling the offer.
As Terry slowly lets Justin into his life, his whole future seems to get brighter and he feels as if a giant weight is gradually being taken off his shoulders. But just as he realizes how happy he is feeling once again, Cassie tells him that he should end the affair before he gets hurt. He doesn’t, so she tries to bribe Justin into leaving. When that fails as well, she leaves in frustration. As the relationship continues to solidify, Justin begins to feel trapped and restless and breaks it off, which deeply hurts Terry and, as was often the case with the Ancient Greek seer Cassandra, Cassie’s prediction has come true.
After one more confrontation with his sister-in-law, Terry has his own epiphany and with one quick action on his part, he severs the anchor that has held him back and is ready to rejoin the world as himself and on his own terms.
All three actors deliver amazingly strong, funny and touching performances. With Michael McKeever’s wonderful script to work with and Randy Brenner’s spot-on direction, everyone creates a fully-realized 3 dimensional character with genuine emotions that help hide or minimize their pains and frustrations and every word or action rings true.
For anyone who has been in a long-term relationship that ended in an untimely fashion, this play will hit home in a way that few plays do. It will make you laugh in in recognition and will also bring some tears to the eyes for that very same reason. It certainly did for me!
Mr. Parker is playing now through April 21 at the Pearl McManus Theatre. For tickets and/or more information, visit their website at www.dezartperforms.org.