Review: THE FRONT PAGE at Fountain Hills Theater

Guest contributor Cheyenne Lewis gives her take on Fountain Hills Theater’s production of Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur’s THE FRONT PAGE.

Sometimes chasing success requires sacrifice, but not every possibility deserves such sacrifice. Fountain Hill Theater’s production of THE FRONT PAGE gives audiences a comedic take on the choice between a career and love.

Set in a press room during the 1920s in Chicago, this comedy primarily follows a pressroom of reporters following a story about the upcoming execution of Earl Williams, a man who murdered a police officer, during the election season. Despite being written nearly 100 years ago, the play’s themes of corrupt politicians, morally questionable journalism and overworking yourself for a thankless job still resonate with modern audiences.

The main protagonist of the story, recently engaged Hildy Johnson, played by Jeremy Wigley, has big plans of moving to New York to get married and give up journalism for advertising. However, his corrupt boss, Walter Burns, portrayed by Mike Romano, is not ready to let Hildy leave. Racing the clock to leave for New York, Hildy is struck with a grand opportunity when the escaped prisoner Earl Williams, portrayed by Thomas F. Graca, falls into his grasp. Naturally, Walter is right there to take advantage of such an opportunity. Meanwhile, Hildy’s fiancé, Peggy Grant, portrayed by Naomi Rusk, is desperately waiting for Hildy to come to the train station and leave with her and her mother, Mrs. Grant, portrayed by Valerie Tanner, so they can leave and get married. As Hildy and the other reporters are fighting for the story, the mayor, portrayed by George Ellison, and Sheriff Hartman, portrayed by Bob Feugate, are trying to capture Earl. Like Walter, they are both corrupt and willing to compromise ethics to get ahead in the election that is only days away.

The themes in THE FRONT PAGE are still punchy and relevant, as is the humor. While audiences without an understanding of the wider historical context and language may miss a couple of jokes, most of the humor is so timeless that any audience member can enjoy it. Director Ross Collins executed the witty and slapstick style of humor well. The humor is quick-paced and there is a wide variety of it, truly having something for every audience member, regardless of comedy style preference. The three-act structure with two intermissions might not be what your typical audience member is used to, but it works quite well. The first act establishes the story with some good, witty jokes, but the play really picks up during acts two and three as it gets to the height of the action, and the humor picks up even more.

The set design by Jeff Blake was a highlight of the production. The play takes place on one relatively small set, the press room, and it is brought to life very well. As soon as audience members enter the playhouse, they start to get a feel for the story and setting. The set, in combination with the blocking, helps bring the newsroom to life. Every reporter has their space and stuff, helping the audience feel immersed and giving the sense that they are observers during one part of the larger stories and lives of each character.

There were many good performances in the play. Jeremy Wigley’s performance of Hildy is an excellent display of balance. His character is likable and funny, but at times extremely frustrating. He can make the audience root for his character, but at the same time, madden them with his often-poor choices regarding balancing his relationship with Peggy and his desire for a good story. His performance makes him the most dynamic character in the performance, struggling to find his place in his career, and conflicting with his draw toward stability and marriage. Mike Romano’s performance as Walter and Naomi Rusk’s as Peggy were excellent motivators in the story. The two actors function as opposite ends of the spectrum, each pulling Hildy in a different direction. Romano’s switch from charismatic to manipulative, sly and even angry was a great contrast to Rusk’s sympathetic and level-headed one.

Thomas F. Graca’s performance as Earl was a stand-out. The writers of the play, Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, establish deep politics that are not fully explored during the show. Topics like communism are present because of when the play is set, but they are not the main concern of the characters. Graca’s acting was an excellent example of establishing a character, even if their story does not get fully explored on the stage. His motivations are never fully explained, but through the performance, they still feel present. Watching this character, it felt like the performer took a lot of time to truly establish Earl’s perspective for himself, so that he could feel truly fleshed out to the audience. Additionally, his performance was one of the funniest of the entire cast. Despite being a wanted man and a killer, his meek nature provides a hilarious contrast. His personality and interactions with Walter and Hildy were a great addition to the chemistry of the show.

In the modern age, with our quick-moving journalism and the ever-present struggle many people have with work-life balance, THE FRONT PAGE, although it is a crazy and ridiculous scenario, still resonates with audiences today. Fountain Hill Theater’s portrayal of the show is a great take on a classic show. 

THE FRONT PAGE plays at the Noël Irick & Peter J. Hill Playhouse through November 16.

Fountain Hills Theater -- https://fhtaz.org -- 480-837-9661 

Venue: The Noël Irick & Peter J. Hill Playhouse -- 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd. Fountain Hills, AZ

Photo credit to Patty Torrilhon – L to R: Naomi Rusk, Jeremy Wigley, Thomas F. Graca, Mike Romano

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