Sessions: This is Therapy

Algonquin Theater Productions and Ten Grand Productions present a revival of Albert M. Tapper's musical Sessions, which is about group therapy in New York City. Dr. Pete Peterson (John Hickok) has a thriving practice with clients from all the boroughs except Staten Island, each with their problems which range from the serious to the silly. George (Scott Richard Foster) is a nebbish who can't move on with his life because he's still in love with his college roommate Wendy. Sunshine (Kelli Maguire) is getting over her depression. Mary (Natalie Buster) is getting beaten by her husband, but keeps going back to him. The Murphys (Ken Jennings and Liz Larsen) are married and bicker a lot. Baxter (Al Bundonis) is a millionaire who never told his father he loved him. Dylan (Sky Seals) likes to pretend he's Bob Dylan.

And then there's Leila (Maya Days), who has trouble trusting people, and is also very attracted to her therapist (and he with her, despite being married). Dr. Peterson is the viewpoint character, who, alone, likes to argue with his expositional conscience (played, bizarrely, as a voice-over by Bundonis rather than a pre-recorded Hickok).
Mr. Tapper's songs are all lovely and well-crafted, but most are exceedingly generic in lyrical content, which makes the characters difficult to relate to- in most of the songs (which in a musical should be the peak of their expression), they simply recite platitudes (which are usually the title of their song). Any of the songs could easily be taken out of Sessions and dropped into a cabaret show without much fuss. The script has the feel of being crafted around preexisting songs, rather than letting the songs grow out of the characters, to the point of having a number "You Should Dance", which sets the entire cast at a swing club, and then turns out to be a random daydream.
As is the case with such a large number of stories, some characters get more stage time than others- George's infatuation with Wendy is the most explored, the Murphys don't really do much till act II, and Sunshine feels she's ready to leave therapy at the beginning of the play, though she keeps coming around. Oddly, Leila, the love interest of the main character, gets very little real stage time.
The cast is good and strong, the standouts being Days, Foster and Larsen. Thomas Coté's direction is never obtrusive and keeps the action moving smoothly around John McDermott's beautiful illuminated set.

Sessions
The Algonquin Theater
123 E. 24th St., NYC

Tuesdays at 7, Wednesdays-Fridays at 8, Saturdays at 2 and 8, and Sundays at 3.
Tickets $50 available at Smarttix.com or by calling 212-868-4444.
Senior and Student discounts of $20 available.

http://www.sessionsthemusical.com

Photo: Maya Days and John Hickok

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