Don’t Wait for the Marlboro Man
by Olivier Garofalo, Translated by Philip Boehm
Directed by Philip Boehm
Upstream Theater
April 12, 2024
Isaiah Di Lorenzo, Caitlin Mickey
Photo by ProPhotoSTL.com
Upstream Theater
Upstream Theater’s latest production is notable at first glance for its simple but memorable set, giving the audience something to think about before the play even begins. Don’t Wait for the Marlboro Man is a US premiere that presents a story that’s at once highly personal and relatable to modern society. With a convincing cast and clever staging, this is an intriguing show that provides much to ponder and discuss.
The show is presented in an unusual manner, as something of a “living script”, with Eric Conners onstage as a sort of observer, reciting many of the stage directions as the story plays out. That story involves Sarah (Caitlin Mickey), an ambitious businesswoman who is anxiously waiting in what appears to be a hospital waiting room. While her fiancé is undergoing surgery after having been critically injured in a motorcycle accident, Sarah waits for news not only of her unnamed fiancé’s health, but also of an apparently urgent business matter. She is joined in the waiting room by Pedro (Isaiah Di Lorenzo), who apparently was a witness to the accident and knows a lot about Sarah, even though she says she hasn’t met him before. Although she is wary of him at first, they are soon engaged in conversation about everything from the accident, to Sarah’s career goals, to junk food, life priorities, and the habits and behaviors of ants. There’s a suggestion that Sarah might be involved in something dangerous and shady, and that she’s neglected her fiancé to focus on her job. There’s also some question about who Pedro is exactly, and why he is really there in the waiting room.
The staging is inventive, with a set by Mike Loui that sets the action in something of an observation area, as the waiting room is surrounded on three sides by a walkway that Conners traverses as he recites the stage directions in a somewhat clinical manner. The lighting by Steve Carmichael is also notable here, in giving a bit of a stark air to the proceedings. There’s also excellent sound design by Michael Musgrave Perkins and Philip Boehm, and well-suited costumes by Michele Friedman Siler. The frequent talk of observing ants in a colony is strongly suggested by the staging and structure, as the audience–along with Conners–become the observers, and Mickey and Di Lorenzo are the objects of that observation.
The story itself is mostly about its characters and larger concepts such as work/life balance, ethics in business, priorities in relationships and “the greater good”, and more. There’s a lot to think about here, and even some open-ended questions. What’s not in question, though, is the quality of the performances. Di Lorenzo is convincingly challenging and enigmatic as Pedro, and Mickey is also strong as the credibly anxious, distracted Sarah. Conners is a strong presence, as well, with his descriptions seeming somewhat intrusive at first, but becoming a more obviously essential part of the story as the play continues.
This is a challenging play, with a lot to think about. I find myself still thinking about what this story means, and especially about the characters, even a while after seeing it. It leaves a strong impression, with its clever staging and especially strong performances. It’s a fascinating new production from Upstream Theater.
Isaiah Di Lorenzo, Caitlin Mickey, Eric Conners
Photo by ProPhotSTL.com
Upstream Theater
Upstream Theater is presenting Don’t Wait for the Marlboro Man at the Kranzberg Arts Center until April 28, 2024