A Sign of the Times Hits Theater 511

Internalized grief is explored in the new production by Stephen Lloyd Helper, A Sign of the Times. The one-man play stares Hamilton actor Javier Muñoz as a nameless traffic controller who is nothing as he seems.

At first glance, the man seems to appreciate everything in his life. His mundane job of holding up his slow/stop traffic sign (which interestingly enough does have a name, Fred), proves to be liked by the man with his continuous smile, upbeat attitude, and friendly demeanor to all those who drive by. But as the 90-minute play begins to unfold, we see that the man's life isn't as happy-go-lucky as it may seem.

The man's emotions begin to rotate as each unwanted memory arises. It's clear he has suffered a significant loss in his life, and as the story progresses, we learn just how much suffering he has endured, and how much of it he continues to harbor each day.

A solo performance is no easy task, especially one on the subject of grief, but Muñoz was strong and able to conquer the stage with only a little help from few special effects.

A Sign of the Times is currently running until April 4th at Theater 511.

(Photo courtesy of Gavin Bond)