BWW Reviews: ROUNDING THIRD at Ocean State Theatre Company

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC) kicks off their summer season this week with Richard Dresser's Rounding Third. A simple, relatable and heartwarming comedy, the play tells the story of two unlikely friends as they work together for the first time as Little League coaches. Don, the returning coach with a talented pitcher for a son, is determined to bring his team to victory. Michael enters as the hopeful assistant coach: an uptight, career-oriented father to a son who has never played baseball before. The two have issues from the start. Michael wants to ensure that everyone on the team learns to work together and has fun making friends and memories. Don only cares about drafting the best players and teaching them the hard way how to be winners. Hilarity ensues as they continuously try, fail, and try again to find common ground and take their team to the championship.

Successfully telling a story, no matter how humble, with only two characters is no easy feat. Thankfully, commendable performances by both Joel Kipper (Michael) and Fred Sullivan, Jr. (Don) keep audiences engaged. It never once feels as if someone is missing on stage, especially because of their brilliant physicality. The excitement and hilarity of both Kipper and Sullivan running across the stage as they yell into the imagined Little League field, bang on the fence of the dugout, and dance the Macarena is undeniably enjoyable to watch. The chemistry between the two actors is wonderful to experience, and it's obvious even in their final bows that these two are having a blast working together.

While Kipper and Sullivan keep audiences laughing from start to finish, the heart of this show begins to open up in the second act. As Don's marriage begins to fall apart and Michael comes clean about his struggles at work and losing his wife, the two begin to put their differences aside and help each other through their struggles. A touching moment comes somewhat unexpectedly when we are engaged in Michael's desperate prayer during the championship game for one small win in his life after the many losses he has suffered. The character development in the second act is what really draws the story together. Michael and Don both become more relatable characters and their blossoming friendship is the core of this simple story. Watching their opinions of one another grow and change over the course of the Little League season is endlessly entertaining and not to be missed.

Rounding Third continues at Ocean State Theatre Company through June 21st at its new Warwick location. Tickets are available at the box office, by phone, and online at www.OceanStateTheatre.org. Their summer season continues in July with the Broadway smash Gypsy.

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