Review: STONEY BROOK at Open Stage

If you’re part of the generation of women who grew up in the 80s and 90s, you likely came across The Baby-Sitters Club books by Ann M. Martin. The books feature a core group of characters who start a babysitting business. Like many novels of that era, The Baby-Sitters Club books deal with real life issues such as divorce, death, illness, crushes, cliques, and so forth. These books have been adapted into television shows, movies, and spin-off series, and now audiences can enjoy a brand-new play written by local playwright and actor Rachel Landon. Stoney Brook is billed as An Unauthorized Parody Comedy. The girls are all grown up. They are in their 40s and dealing with the loss of one of their friends and the variety of emotions that come up when a once close-knit group reunites after going their own ways. The play touches on so many relatable themes, including relationships, sex, alcoholism, careers, perimenopause, motherhood, loneliness, jealousy, old resentments, politics, and more. It is highly relatable and definitely intended for mature audiences only. Directed by Karen Ruch and on stage through March 7th, Stoney Brook is filled with laughs, chaos, heart, and passion.

The creative and technical elements of this production are beautifully designed. The set (by Kalina Barrett), props (by Becky Arney with consultant Rachel Landon), costumes (by Carol Manzer), sound (by production stage manager Brianna Dow), and lights (by Karen Gasser) are crafted to create a sense of nostalgia and enhance the mood of each scene. The audience immediately feels like they are sitting in Claude’s old childhood bedroom while the music that defined the 90s plays from the speakers.

The cast features Tara Herweg as Kris, Alexis Campbell as Mary, Stacy Erdman as Stace, Kelsey Irene Markey as Shae, Nikki Heckermann as Freya, Danielle L. Woods as Jess, and J’aime Elizabeth as Mall. The audience is instantly engaged from Herweg’s first entrance. Before she even utters a word, the audience knows they are witnessing a woman having a hot flash at the worst possible moment. Knowing laughs spread throughout the auditorium as Herweg tries every trick in the book to cool down. Herweg’s Kris is outspoken and direct, and the audience soon realizes that she uses this as an armor to avoid getting too close to anyone. As the other characters force Kris to face her emotions, Herweg allows Kris’s armor to crack and the real emotions to come through. As the actors enter the scene throughout the beginning of Act 1, they bring an electric energy to the stage, and their expressions, movements, and voices illustrate their character’s emotions and personality.

Herweg and Campbell create a dynamic, tension-filled atmosphere that propels the story forward. Campbell’s Mary at first seems simply sweet, reserved, and conservative, but the other characters and the audience soon learn that there’s more to her than meets the eye. Campbell does a wonderful job of playing into the nuances of her character, not revealing too much before just the right moment. Erdman’s portrayal of Stace makes a difficult role look easy. Her physicality and ability to swing seamlessly from one mood to another lends a sense of reality to her character’s struggles with alcoholism, loneliness, and despair.

Heckermann and Markey are adorable as Freya and Shae. Their energy is unmatched as they bounce around the stage, physically portraying the free-spirited nature of their characters. Heckermann’s Freya is filled with youthful exuberance, and she does a fantastic job playing the fan-girl who sees no problem with posting anything and everything online. Markey lights up the stage as Shae. Her expression occasionally giving the audience a glimpse into her character’s deeper emotions and feelings of conflict about the things Freya does.

Woods gives one of this reviewer’s favorite performances of the evening, and with this cast, that bar is incredibly high. Woods has a presence on stage that draws the audience in, and her portrayal of Jess is outstanding. Her delivery of her monologue in the second act about life just being life is lovely. J’aime Elizabeth’s Mall is filled with old resentments, feelings of being constantly left out, and disappointment with how her life has turned out. Her melt down over the Spice Girls talent show performance and angry, truth-laden outburst during Never Have I Ever are intense.

The cast, creative team, and playwright of Stoney Brook present a fast-paced, relatable show that takes audiences on an emotional roller-coaster ride. Don’t miss out on this world premier—get your tickets at openstagehbg.com before it sells out!