Are you a book lover or do you devour your latest read the way poet Eve Merriam suggests you eat a poem – wholly, with reckless abandon. The juice dribbling down your chin, as if it’s a plump peach plucked from the tree with all warmth of the sun in the palm of your hand that just increases the pleasure. Dive in to the dark, delicious depths of Michael Walek’s “The Bookstore”, making it’s World Premiere at New Jersey Repertory Theater. Get your tickets now, it’s an intimate theater and the play has a huge message.
Carey (Janet Zarish) is a worldly woman with a seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of books, and perhaps the “gift” of Cassandra-esque prophecy. She is the owner of the bookstore that has been lovingly created by Resident Scenic Designer Jessica Parks and Resident Lighting Designer Jill Nagle. You want to walk right up on stage, select a book and settle in. When employees buttoned-down Abby (Arielle Goldman) and Bohemian Brittany (Ari Derambakhsh) arrive, we start to see the warp and weft of the relationships as they form the tapestry of life, love and work with the literature that unites them. When Spencer (Quentin Chisholm) enters their lives, will he become part of the tapestry or a plot twist? No spoilers here. The three women are A, B, C – coincidence? Hardly, as they are where it all begins.
The world Michael Walek creates in this, his first play, is one where we would all want to live. You are respected for your contribution, your intellect is acknowledged and your growth happens as you help others grow. Breaking the fourth wall is something each character does at very timely moments and your higher brain functions may battle with your emotions as the show reaches the finale with the action taking place over the course of the year in 2017.
Literati will be thrilled at the razor-sharp witty references and insider backstories about some favorite authors. If you’re a reader, take a pencil to write down books you’ll want to sample. If you’re a student of the humans around you, this play lightly grabs you by the lapels and reels you in before you know you’ve been caught. William Carden’s direction assures that each actor's gift of nuance is brought forward like the tactile experience of handling your favorite book.
There is a lobby context display that invites readers to apply stickers to their favorite books. Pro tip: Peel from the backing side for best results. The entire experience is one to share, so see this early and often.
Follow this link: https://njrep.org/tickets-and-events/shows/, show is currently running through August 4 only. Many dates are already sold out, get your tickets now and plan for future joy!