Review: Primary Trust

SARASOTA — The Asolo Repertory Theatre recently opened 2026 with its production of Eboni Booth’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Primary Trust.

Primary Trust takes us to the idyllic fictional New York town of Cranberry, where the shy and lonely Kenneth's world is upended when he is forced to change careers.

Kenneth's boss has to shut down the bookstore where he's worked and thrived for two decades. Yellowed Pages was the center point of Kenneth's lonely life, which otherwise consists of little more than drinking Mai Tais at Wally's, a tiki-themed corporate, fast-casual chain reminiscent of Friday's or Bennigan's.

A friendly new waitress suggests he apply at one of the town's two banks, and Kenneth proves equally adept at mastering the monotony of semi-skilled labor, quickly becoming the branch's best teller. But what begins as a whimsical character study evolves into a deeper examination of the mental health challenges that are tightly wound just beneath the surface of so many who walk among us.

Anthony Cason gives a truly heartwarming performance as Kenneth, a fractured soul heroically shouldering unprocessed trauma from the loss of his mother, coping mightily by any means he can manage to grab hold of.

Asolo vet and master character actor Matt DeCaro once again anchors the production, bringing to life multiple characters integral to the play. Kayland Jordan shines as Corinna, the waitress, while also performing multiple smaller parts. Kamal Bolden is the icing on the cake, giving an inspired performance as Kenneth's "friend" Bert.

Primary Trust manages to explore dark subject matter with a gorgeous degree of levity that never undermines the seriousness of the topic at hand. It is a deeply engaging work that demonstrates how far masterful storytelling and first-rate performances can take an otherwise modest production to impressive heights. It is the best the stage has to offer: a story with significant purpose that still delights its audience at every turn.

The play benefits greatly from several behind-the-scenes performances. Joey Mendoza crafts a perfectly tranquil set, while Allen Edwards does a terrific job lighting the scenes. The sound, courtesy of Mathew Parker, is also stellar, while Jen Gillette's costumes complete the package.

Primary Trust runs through Feb. 11 in the Mertz Theatre at the Florida State University Center for the Performing Arts. Visit the Asolo website for more information.