Hire This Man: Brilliant "Help Wanted" at CenterStage

The hard part of being monologist, according to Josh Lefkowitz, himself a monologist, is "finding the balance between specificity and universality."  In other words, find some reason for all of us to care about someone whose life we have little or nothing in common with.  In his one-man show (yes, it is a monologue) Mr. Lefkowitz indeed finds that balance in an absolutely hilarious and startlingly poignant piece he calls Help Wanted: A Personal Search for Meaningful Employment at the Start of the 21^st Century, which opened last weekend at Baltimore's CenterStage.

On the surface of it, one might think there is no new territory being mined here - Lefkowitz is an aspiring actor forced to hold a variety of jobs (including the typical waiter work) just to make ends meet - an oft told tale, to be sure.  And yet, the piece is as fresh and exhilarating as your first day out of college, diploma in hand, ready to fight the good fight and join society.  But even in the mundane, stereotypical events that he includes, each event is looked at with a wry eye and clever look at the details.  For example, when he finally caves and gets that waiter job, he tells of the transition from expensive burger buying customer to the "can I start you off with an appetizer?" waiter.  The first time he utters that familiar question, he tells us he wept - a comic observation with serious emotional undertones.  We all laugh heartily at the story, and then seconds later, revel in an almost communal reflection of the first time (of many likely) we were forced to take a job or do anything we thought we'd never have to.

 

There are many such moments of communal reflection in this piece.  And it is those that take this from one-man stand up to serious theatre.  Lefkowitz has the delivery and powers of observation of a seasoned pro - much like his self-professed hero, the late Spalding Gray.  He also channels Lily Tomlin in his uproarious character voices, including his hapless girlfriend, a gay guy in a gym sauna, and his neighbor, a black DC grandmother.  The great Eric Bogosian, also a mentor to the young actor, also has some influence, seen in those rare moments when his monologue drifts into angry territory and he uses a few (very few, but very well chosen) expletives.  It is the conglomeration of these influences, along with a large dose of innate ability, and a riotous self-effacing quality that makes Mr. Lefkowitz utterly charming and instantly our friend.  And so, when his meticulously planned pauses give all of us a collective chance to catch our breath, we truly become one. 

He has us from the beginning, explaining a philosophy garnered from a college professor that says basically, people you look up to until you turn twenty are heroes, after that they are colleagues.  I am certain that the entire audience immediately mentally went to their list of heroes, chuckling about the 20 year old cut off date, then realizing it is true.  It is here that Lefkowitz begins his quest to meet and become like his "last hero", Gray.  It is also here that he tells us the date of his twentieth birthday - September 11, 2001.  The pause he took with that revelation was long, heavy and instantly bonding.  Apparently, those wounds are still quite fresh.  And with that, a sterling example of specificity and universality - turning twenty was a turning point for us all, as was that horrible day.  Masterfully, he let that pause linger just long enough before launching into more mirthful observations, including the marketing of a grocery store chain's meat department which apparently depends on where the market is located, dead on depictions of the denizens of DuPont Circle, and an absolutely gut-busting riff on being a parking lot attendant while trying to talk to departing drivers.

The only disappointing thing about the entire evening came when he tells about finally meeting his hero, Spalding Gray (who died by suicide shortly thereafter).  It was disappointing because one hoped that the meeting would be as life changing as Lefkowitz always dreamed it would be.  It wasn't.  Don't get me wrong - this section of the piece is as brilliantly done as the rest - one just wanted Josh to finally get one thing exactly the way he wanted it.  And of course, that disappointment is universal - is the reality ever better than the dream?  Ultimately, though that moment was disappointing because it signaled the end of our evening with a wonderfully talented young actor, who with a wide-eyed wonder and confidential smile made all of us friends.  Universality, indeed.

 

PHOTO: Josh Lefkowitz.  Photo by Erin Herbert.

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