Review: Shrewd Productions Presents SMALL STEPS

Shrewd Productions has a reputation for producing amazing theatre and their return to the stage after the pandemic is no different. SMALL STEPS is touching, engaging, funny, and surprising. 

Written by University of Texas graduate, Briandaniel Oglesby, SMALL STEPS is a thought-provoking comedy that is easy to love. The play centers on Skip Powers (Dane Parker), a lonely, perpetually single gay man, who’s life seems to be a series of disappointments, if not outright failures. When NASA initiates recruitment for a no return trip to Mars, Skip signs up. He believes that leaving his life on Earth is the solution to all his problems. A truly magnificent ensemble cast (Jen Brown, Trey Deason, Shannon Grounds, and Andy Shaw) swirl around Skip playing multiple roles. The first act is utterly brilliant in its pace and cohesion, and the second act is less so. Nonetheless, the result is a highly theatrical comedy that leaves the audience with smiles on their faces. 

The entire cast is stellar, but Dane Parker achieves supernova status. He has an incredible talent for playing an Everyman and his awkwardness puts the audience immediately on his side. We desperately want our hero to succeed on his journey. Half the battle of acting onstage is creating a bond with the viewer, and Parker accomplishes this in the first minute of the play. The ensemble cast is a pure joy to watch. Jen Brown, Trey Deason, Shannon Grounds, and Andy Shaw smoothly shift from scene to scene, changing character to create Skip’s world. Much of the comedy is from these broadly drawn caricatures, but they also represent Skip’s human contact and deepen his humanity. 

Braxton Rae’s direction is beautiful in the Hyde Park Theatre space where entrances and scene changes require a deft hand at the wheel. Amy Lewis’s lighting design is gorgeous, giving us Earth, spaceship, and outer space wonderfully defined. Helen Parish’s prop design is hilariously fun and perfectly executed. My favorite is Pam Friday’s costume design. She gives the ensemble actors quirky, quick-change costumes that perfectly fit the tone of the comedy and help them to immediately establish who they are for the audience. 

I recommend you grab tickets for the next two weekends. It’s a delightful show and you don’t want to miss SMALL STEPS. 

SMALL STEPS

by Briandaniel Oglesby

Directed by Braxton Rae

Shrewd Productions at Hyde Park Theatre, 511 W 43rd St, 

Austin, TX 78751

July 21 - August 12

Running Time: 2.5 hours with one 15 minute intermission. 

Tickets: $21 - $28 

Photo Credit: Errich Peterson

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