Review: A STITCH IN TIME at Theater For The New City

What if with great responsibility came great power, instead of the usual way the old adage goes? If the wielding of  power was never a concern, and a person never in his lifetime had to question his actions or be questioned about them, would the responsibility of being a good leader be determined by making others or himself happy? And if that doesn’t make the wheels in your head start spinning, does it stand to reason that a satisfied leader results in happy subjects? 

Whatever your stance on politics may be, there is always a reason to laugh about the lunacy of it all - and that’s exactly what one playwright decided to do, in the form of a wonderful new comedy that not only tests the imagination, but stretches it to the point of not knowing how far it dare go. When a revered ruler’s ego reveals the “naked” truth of his legacy, A Stitch in Time is an hilarious musical tale that questions the very fine line dividing fact and fiction, and the responsibility of knowing what’s real and what isn’t… even if that means inadvertently bearing it all. 

Written by Claude Solnik (along with book and lyrics), music by Gary Edwards and directed by Robert Liebowitz, A Stitch In Time is a spanking new musical in performances thru July 9th at the East Village’s Theater for the New City. In association with Textile Theater Co. and Executive Artistic Director Crystal Field, Solnik has written and produced quite a number of shows at TNC. He has never tried his hand at a musical though, and none have been as thoroughly entertaining as A Stitch In Time. 

Based on the tale of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes, A Stitch In Time is an hilarious portrayal of the power of power - how just a little can become too much and become the cause of a downward and disheartening spiral. Within the microcosm that is the Independent Commonwealth of Erehwon lives a community of people under the rule of a very fickle leader - one who doesn’t just believe he’s always right, but also compels his subjects and people to see his beliefs as truth. A very simplistic way of avoiding conflict, his actions soon beg the question: when, exactly, is this all going to backfire? 

The people of Erehwon flourish under the rule of their President and First Lady. Everyone is happy, conflict is nonexistent and a constant flow of tourism brings this beautiful country to the top of the ranks. Erehwon is, simply put, the embodiment of perfection that need not be changed in any way. Yet, ignorance is bliss until threatened in the form of a renowned designer, called in by the First Lady to design a special suit as a gift for her husband’s upcoming birthday. Only familiar with creating lavish gowns for his female clients, the stage is set for hilarious disaster as he tries to remove himself from the situation altogether before upsetting the royalty and their staff. Erehwon’s society neither accepts “no” as an answer, nor do they even allow the word to be spoken. It’s quite the conundrum, and that’s only the beginning. 

What instead comes to pass is a whirlwind of little white lies that, when put together, create the perfect fib - a “truth” that is too ludicrous not to be reckoned with. The suit designed for the President’s special day can only be seen by certain people; to everyone else, he is completely naked. The Erehwonian people may be loyal, but they aren’t obtuse - question a person’s intelligence, and all delectable hell breaks loose when some brave soul decides to laugh at their President’s decision to bare it all.

A Stitch In Time questions the flaws of humanity and how we are belittled into observing them - even the supposed best of us. Solnik and his wonderful cast wholeheartedly navigates their way through the consequences of change brought about by the hands of a wounded leader - the insecurities of a man who simply cannot bear the ridicule that comes not from being naked, but from being wrong. A once confident designer is plagued by the daunting nature of his new task, and like a virus does his uncertainty spread to a once composed royal cabinet, now wrought with newfound dread of what comes as their leader gradually realizes he’s made quite the fool of himself. As their President brings ruin to his once perfect society, he comes to acknowledge that absolute power doesn’t belong to those who lead, but instead to those who know they’re wearing pants.  

As mentioned, Solnik has been responsible for quite a number of shows over the years, but this is definitely one of his best. Not only is the script clever, the characters well written and the plot a comprehensive (yet funny) view of how easily a person can fall, it is also simply a really good time. I can’t imagine that I and my guests were the only ones who truly enjoyed watching a man - hardly the sharpest knife in the drawer - wreak havoc on the lives of all those who want nothing more than to please him. Each person on that stage truly gave their all in making each character come to life - their efforts are nothing but admirable, their enthusiasm infectious and their talent evident as they easily suck their audience into the vortex that is Erehwon. When you imagine what the epitome of acting as an ensemble looks like, this show and its wonderful cast should definitely come to mind.

That’s exactly what being in the audience of A Stitch In Time felt like as well - as though we know and understand how things in this fair land function, but we can only watch as the President soon comes to understand his folly. Even though there are darker implications present as to what ultimate power can lead to, it is more of a feel good show, without villains or pointing fingers but instead the hope that things turn around for the better. With a solid plot, engaging characters, memorable songs, a fantastic cast and crew and an overall story with dialogue that aptly covers every detail, every emotion that leaves no stone unturned. The detail with which a story is constructed is characteristic of Solnik’s work; he always seems to know exactly what to say, and exactly how to say it. A Stitch In Time really is a happy memory, which will hopefully see a revival on a local stage one day soon. 

Kudos must go to all those involved in bringing A Stitch In Time to the stage. Cameron Mark Russell, Erin Kennedy, Stefan Schallack, Olivia Whicheloe, Allison Panczyszyn, Matt Bader, Teal French-Levine and Jordan Williams round out this wildly talented cast. Joining them are Musical Director Stephen Cornine, Choreographer Emily Phelan, Associate Choreographer Alexis Ianucci, Costume Designer Everett Clark, Stage Manager/Light Board operator Matthew Seepersad and Lighting Designer Scott David Reeves.

A Stitch In Time ran from June 22 - July 9th at Theater for the New City (located at 155 1st Avenue). The show ran approximately two hours, with a brief intermission. For more information on what’s up next at TNC, please visit the theater’s main page here. You can also take a look at the show’s digital program here, and a snippet from the show here.  

Photo Credit: Rozanna Radakovich/Production Crew

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