Sondheim And Furth's Tony-Winning Company

By Sheila Cosgrove Baylis

The cast of "Company" performs at the Southampton Cultural Center. Photos by Sheila Cosgrove Baylis

Southampton - Interested in a wonderful theatre production? Just call the Southampton Cultural Center and reserve tickets to "Company," Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Tony-winning classic about marriage and friendship.

Director and Choreographer Michael Disher's incarnation is thoroughly entertaining, funny, touching, provocative, and well worth a precious weekend evening. Though it debuted on Broadway in 1970, the play's themes of commitment, sacrifice, and compromise in relationships are just as relevant today. "Even though it was written 38 years ago," Disher said, "people still doubt marriage and have trepidations and fears." "Company" was one of the first musicals to use vignettes to explore adult issues such as these, and the play features another Sondheim trait - songs that develop the characters instead of furthering the plot.

Bedecked in black and white - Sarah Sander, Melissa Monterosso, and Meredith
MacBain, belt out "You Could Drive a Person Crazy."

The story revolves around Robert, a 35-year-old who's single and anxious about marriage. He's afraid of both settling down and remaining single. Brett Chizever plays the part wonderfully; his clear singing voice is a perfect fit for Sondheim's melodies and his acting offers warmth and complexity to the role. Instead of portraying Robert as tiresome and commitment-phobic, he creates a sensitive and sympathetic character who whole-heartedly investigates the concept and reality of marriage by studying his friends' relationships. "[Robert] is universal," Chizever said. "Everyone can relate to him." Therefore, Robert's search allows the audience to rediscover the beauty and frailty in their own partnerships while maintaining a sense of humor.

The comic highlight is a pot-smoking scene that Bethany Dellapolla, who plays Jenny, easily steals. She comes out of nowhere and slaps you with a laugh and before you know it, you find yourself waiting for her next comic move, which doesn't disappoint. Also amusing is Allison-Rose DeTemple's portrayal of Amy, who has a hilarious musical breakdown on the morning of her wedding. DeTemple voices fears that many of us have experienced, but her performance encourages us to laugh instead of denigrate ourselves. Overall, Sondheim and Furth provide the women with wittier and meatier roles, while the men's characters feel more diluted.

Robert is the grand exception of course, and his final discovery provides catharsis for the audience as well. In the ending song, "Being Alive," Robert reminds us that committed love means "someone to hold me too close, someone to hurt me too deep, someone to sit in my chair, and ruin my sleep, and make me aware of being alive."

Disher wisely decides against tying up Robert's conflict in a bow, but instead allows it to remain ambiguous and mysterious and, thus, closer to life.

• Performances will be held Oct. 17 through Nov. 2 at the Southampton Cultural Center's Levitas Center. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performances are at 8 p.m. Sunday performances are at 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for students under 21 (Identification required). Group Rates (10 or more) are available. For further information, reservations, group rate information or subscriptions, call Southampton Cultural Center at 631-287-4377 or email scc@southamptonculturalcenter.org.

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