Review: BARON VAUGHN: CYCLE BREAKER at 1st Stage

From the moment that Baron Vaughn steps onstage in his one-man play Baron Vaughn: Cycle Breaker at 1st Stage, it’s clear that the audience is in for quite the journey. Vaughn, a comedian who you may know from Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, tells tales of complex family relationships, generational trauma, and breaking that cycle through the way that he parents his own children and manages family life, through deep monologues sprinkled with just the right amount of comedy to keep things a little lighter. 

Almost immediately, the audience is in the midst of a visit from Vaughn’s mother, as he recalls memories, experiences, and lessons from his upbringing, while reflecting on his own parenting journey. Through his self-declared dissociations, brilliantly honed in upon by creative lighting and use of sound, we are transported from the day Vaughn was born all the way to current times - and everywhere in between. Through his detailed and intentional scene setting, it is easy to picture everywhere Vaughn is describing, even though the stage only includes a black box and a singular door. His ability to build a whole world with such a minimal set was impressive. I felt fully immersed, like I was standing in each location with Vaughn himself, watching each part of his life play out in front of me. I have to give major props to Vaughn for being able to go on stage and relieve these moments from his life, as it’s clear that many are so difficult to share, and I commend him for his vulnerability and desire to share these parts of himself with so many. 

Aysan Celik’s direction is also to thank for the brilliance of this play. The staging and aforementioned use of the minimal set and technical design were wonderful supplements to Vaughn’s story telling. This direction made it easy for me to put myself in Vaughn’s world, and I think that is incredibly valuable to the production overall. 

Those who may be sensitive to familial trauma and difficult relationships should be aware of the general content before attending the production, but Vaughn finds a way to present these difficult topics in a way that is digestible for all, especially through the use of his humor and candid honesty. In the same vein, some may find Vaughn’s story as therapeutic, and help them cope with some of their own experiences. This is a must see for anyone looking for a real and vulnerable piece of art to consume. 

Baron Vaughn: Cycle Breaker is part of 1st Stage’s Logan Festival of Solo Performance, alongside LET IT BE ART! Harold Clurman’s Life of Passion and It Ends with Guinea Pigs. Those interested have through the end of August to catch these 3 brilliant solo performances! I commend Vaughn on his performance, and the DMV is very lucky to have access to this groundbreaking play.

Run Time: Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. 

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