SARASOTA – Creating a stage sequel to his Tony Award-winning masterpiece All the Way was no easy task for Robert Schenkkan, and staging a production of that masterful effort, The Great Society, is a similarly-daunting undertaking for any theater company. However, Asolo Rep manages to live up to the enormous expectations with a stalwart presentation just one year after dazzling local audiences with a record-breaking production of the original.
The Great Society picks up right where the curtain fell on All the Way, dealing with President Johnson's ambitious social programs like the War on Poverty, as well as his reluctant escalation of the Vietnam War and his painstaking efforts to balance the scales in the fight for Civil Rights. The societal and Congressional discord in a tumultuous and fast-changing world once again offers much for modern audiences to relate to.
Asolo benefited from its ability to secure a number of actors who gave stellar performances in pivotal roles last season, but was challenged in the role of LBJ, which was played to the nines last year by stage vet Nick Wyman. Wyman was originally announced for the role and when he fell out, the company was poised to present FSU/Asolo Conservatory alum Jack Willis in the role in which he wowed audiences with in the original production of both plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. When Willis had to pull out, Matt DeCaro jumped into a big role and enormous expectations.
photo by Cliff Roles
While DeCaro doesn’t benefit from Wyman’s LBJ-like physical stature, he nails the nuances of the Texas horse-trader perfectly, and it is only moments before audience members mentally accept him as the historic figure. Last season, Asolo scored Emily Sophia Knapp, who was associate director on the Broadway version of All the Way, and again benefits from a director with intimate ties to the sequel in Nicole A. Watson, who served as the associate director for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Seattle Repertory Theatre productions of The Great Society.
Matt DeCaro, Photo by Cliff Roles
A.K. Murtadha once again portrays Martin Luther King Jr. with spot-on interpretations of the famed-orators rollicking soliloquies along with impassioned frustration as the mediator between the Democratic Party and civil rights activists. Denise Cormier gives another fine performance as Lady Bird Johnson, and Tom Coiner reprises his role as VP Hubert Humphrey in another quality performance. Longtime Asolo Rep veteran David Breitbarth not only brings back his excellent take on Alabama Governor George Wallace but also manages to steal scenes as Richard Nixon later in the play. William Dick also returns to give another clever performance as iconic FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
Christopher Kelly gives powerfully-understated performances in the diametrically-opposed roles of Robert McNamara and Stanley Levinson, while Brett Mack makes for a very convincing Bobby Kennedy. Ian Fermy stands out as civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael, and Asolo Conservatory third-year actor Brandon Maldonado shows tremendous potential in four ensemble parts, including General William Westmoreland. Steve Kemp once again provides a remarkably-dynamic set, while Sarah Smith has the enormous cast well costumed in period-perfect digs.
photo by Cliff Roles
The Great Society runs through April 2. Visit the Asolo website for more information. Click here for a review of last season's Asolo production of All the Way.
David Breitbarth and Matt DeCaro. Photo by Cliff Roles
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