Review: FIRST DAY IN DECEMBER at By Compulsion Dance And Theatre

The new play, “First Day in December,” may be a history play, but it also feels uncomfortably like a warning.

Set on December 1, 1969—the night of the Vietnam draft lottery—playwright Richard Fouts drops us into a fraternity house where what should be a birthday celebration curdles into something far more urgent. When someone turns on the radio, suddenly this group of college friends is no longer focused on parties or classes—they’re listening for the numbers that might send them to war.

Directed by Michael Mizerany, this one-act unfolds quickly, and that immediacy is its greatest strength. There’s no escape hatch for the characters, and no comfortable distance for the audience. We sit with them as each number is called, each future rearranged.

The ensemble operates with an easy, lived-in chemistry that makes the emotional unraveling hit harder. Shane Hennessey’s Chad begins as the kind of cocky, golden-boy quarterback who seems untouchable, until suddenly, he isn’t. Ski Gozo’s Rory is tender and quiet, a young man who admits he once got lost in Central Park and now has to imagine surviving a jungle. Benjamin Monts’ David clings to logic, frantically researching deferments and legal loopholes, while Kevin Phantom’s Tim searches for more immediate, riskier solutions. Robert N. Coe is fraternity president Mike, who is out at a bar celebrating his 21st birthday when this all starts, and comes back to the frat to discover everyone is turning on each other as they each process the news.  Amy Oliverio’s Linda, Mike’s sister, becomes the emotional anchor, trying to hold the room together as it fractures.

What emerges isn’t just fear, it’s betrayal. These young men, on the cusp of adulthood, are forced to confront how little control they actually have over their lives. The play smartly lets humor bubble up in unexpected places, as even on the brink of catastrophe, people joke, deflect, and cling to normalcy, balancing comedy and dread.

Design elements subtly reinforce the intimacy. Kyle Waterman’s scenic design creates a warm, recognizable fraternity living room while Josh Olmstead’s lighting tightens the emotional focus as the night wears on. Coutume design by Teresa Craven, quickly sketches each character, grounding them firmly in their era without slipping into caricature.

But what lingers most is how sharply the play echoes into the present. In a moment where conversations about military service and the possibility of a renewed draft have begun to re-enter public discourse, “First Day in December” doesn’t feel like a relic, and the questions these characters ask, about duty, autonomy, patriotism, and survival, haven’t aged out. 

There’s a quiet, almost defiant undercurrent running through the piece: that history doesn’t have to repeat itself. That the generation who lived through this moment, and those who have inherited its stories, might choose differently if faced with the same call.

Running through March 22 in the Diversionary Black Box as a guest production, “First Day in December” is not just a look back; it’s a conversation with right now. 

How To Get Tickets

“First Day in December” by Compulsion Dance and Theatre is playing as a guest production at the Diverisonary Black Box theatre through March 22nd.  For ticket and showtimes, go to www.firstdayindecember.com

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