NJ Repertory Company in Long Branch continues it’s storied run of producing thought-provoking work, this time with a true history perspective with a true crime lens. D. W. Gregory’s play “The Other American”, directed and brought to life by James Glossman and an all-star cast, is based on source material that’s as local as New Jersey gets.
Stanley Glickman served his country faithfully in World War II and like many young men who survived, decided to take advantage of the GI Bill to advance his studies. A gifted artist, Stanley at 25, in the early 1950s, set off to study in Paris for a year. One night, he meets an-other American in his favorite café and Stanley’s life changes in a very abruptly mysterious, nefarious way. We have a front row seat to his seemingly sudden descent into madness. Inorganic madness.
The art of the play, like any fine art, is the combination of the medium, the materials and the execution and this play is fine art. Ms. Gregory’s play is assembled from a sheaf of autobiographical material the artist’s sister provided to Gabe and SuzAnne Barabas knowing the story needed to be told. James Glossman has directed Ms. Gregory before and the rapport is evident. The actors themselves – Christopher Daftsios as Stanley, Amie Bermowitz as his sister Sylvia, Eli Ganias as his brother-in-law Don, John Lescault as Sidney Gottlieb the man who sets Stanley on his dark path and Naja Selby-Morton as Sarah. Each of the actors who characters are supporting Stanley play multiple roles and Mr. Daftsios gives us the full measure of Stanley Before and Stanley Spiralling, with ultimately Stanley in a new place. The feeling is nearly like Jules Verne-esque time travel as Stanley has no idea that the Mickey Finn Gottlieb slips him is actually LSD.
Before you say “Spoiler Alert”, I assure you it is not. Mr. Daftsios is a masterful performer showing us the joy of 25 year old Stanley, an American in Paris with all that means, as well as the current Stanley and the Windmills of Your Mind Stanley. Mr. Lescault as Gottlieb is terrifying as someone who believes that very very bad things he is doing on behalf of the US government are justified. Ms. Bermowitz, Mr. Ganias and Ms. Selby-Morton have such different personalities for each of their roles that each is four dimensional – existing in time as well as the three dimensions of space. There is a quantum feel to the work as it spirals smoothly back and forward, to and fro and as it does, the grain of this true life tragedy is revealed. If you’re like me, when you leave the theater, only then will the full importance of what you’ve just seen make an impact. If this is something we didn’t know about, how much and what else was/is/will be? The ethical questions are staggering.
This show marks the 158th world premiere for New Jersey Repertory Company. Come see what all the buzz is about. Follow this link: https://njrep.org/show/the-other-american/ . This show runs through September 29, so make your reservations now before this opportunity, like so much time, is past.