Not all birthday parties go according to plan. For those ready to attend one that’s messy, dysfunctional, chaotic and emotional, head to the PAC April 10 through April 26 for “Company – The Musical.”
Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” focuses on Bobby who is turning 35 and is forced to confront his loneliness and lack of a lover while being surrounded by married friends. As he faces this mid-life crisis, Bobby battles the complexities of modern relationships and commitment.
Director Eric Patillo puts a modern feel to this 1970’s production. “I feel that there are certainly elements of this story that are dated, but there are elements that are timeless,” Patillo said.
Patillo has chosen a unique, in-the-round, up-close staging format that pulls the audience directly into the action and space.
“Our set is very minimal. Our orchestrations are very minimal. We are doing this as a pure chamber piece with just a grand piano and our singers,” he said. “What that allows us to do as a production is hone in and focus on the music, our actors, and the story as opposed to having to rely on other elements (huge sets, elaborate costumes and lighting). We’ve stripped everything down to its barest essentials and we are focusing purely on the art of telling the story.”
The structure of putting a production together is an art within itself, both in the minds of the production staff and the actors. The vibe of rehearsals for the cast and crew are as lively as the dancing and singing in the show.
Patillo drives a team atmosphere. “I try to run my rehearsals as collaboratively as possible. I encourage people to bring in ideas,” Patillo said. “I don’t like coming in with stringent goals in mind. I very much like to mix and match and try new things. To me, that keeps the work fresh. Trial and error; that’s how I run my rehearsal rooms. We’re gonna try something, could be my idea, could be somebody else’s idea, if it works, great. If it doesn’t, let’s fix it!”
Anthony Rosario Jr., a 26-year-old business management graduate from Sussex County, plays Bobby.
“One of the toughest things about acting is trying to get into the head of your character,” said Rosario Jr., who has taken on several other acting roles before including Emmett Forrest in BCC’s production of “Legally Blonde.”
“When it comes to Bobby, it’s probably one of my most challenging roles I’ve had to take on.”
“In the sense of Bobby, he wants to have this relationship, but he can’t figure it out. I think Bobby has a very similar mindset to me because a lot of my relationships, whether romantic or not, are very complex. That’s the part (of Bobby’s character) that I relate to the most, the understanding of ‘what to do’ in a certain situation.”
“You have to take everything with a grain of salt as the character,” said Rosario Jr., “To portray it on stage, for me it’s a lot of facial reactions. You have to act with your face, whether you’re showing that you love somebody or you care about that person. It’s a lot of going back and forth, trying to understand the character.”
Patillo speaks highly of his cast. “I’ve done this show before. What surprises me is the different interpretation that a new set of actors bring to the material. Everyone brings their own set of lived experiences, their own lives to a process of telling a story, and just finding those different shades is the most surprising and the most rewarding part of the process.”
“Company” is all about commitment, but so are the hearts of everyone who is part of the show.
“Every rehearsal process for me feels like birthing a baby. I always say it feels like we’re digging for something underneath the ground,” Patillo said. “Not knowing what that end result is gonna be, to me, that’s the most thrilling. We all have to pitch in and dig, and dig, and dig… There’s gonna be blood, sweat, and tears, but what we’re gonna bring up on earth and bring to the audience, it’s so worth it. It’s – so – worth it.”
Jonathan Kane, a 20-year-old English major from Brielle, captured the passion of the cast. “Whatever you need to do to make the show happen, to make that art happen, you gotta do it. And when it all comes together just for that short time, it’s really incredible.”
Kane talked about how audiences connect with the music. “A lot of songs in musical theater, especially those solos, they reveal a character’s inner thoughts. Hearing those songs from the stage and potentially hearing a song you can relate to, it definitely makes you think ‘Oh wow! I really connect to this.’ …It’s a more powerful tool than people might think.”
The meaning behind Company’s songs are what keeps this production “timeless.”
“There’s our finale, which is a song called ‘Being Alive,’ and in that song our lead, Bobby, who we follow, makes the decision to allow himself to be open to a relationship,” Patillo explained.
“In today’s society, where we’re so sequestered on our phones, the act of dating is almost like a warzone. Trying to find someone in this society where we’re constantly being fed images and people, you can swipe left or right on anyone at any given time, and you have this plethora of options, it’s not conducive to finding a long-term partner. But, in this specific moment of the show, he makes the decision to put himself out there. Yes, I could get hurt, but guess what, that’s part of life. To love is to live, and to live is to love. Him making that final decision to me has always been the most impactful part of the show, and the way I’m trying to stage it, I hope it comes across to the student body.”
Kane agrees that “Being Alive” is truly impactful. “In many ways, that song is about connections in real life, and even though they can be really painful, it’s worth it at the end of the day,” he said.
“For me, it’s probably the scene ‘I Got a Girl for You.’ It starts out with Trevor’s character talking to me, trying to set me up with a girl, and then it goes to Aiden’s character setting me up… All of a sudden, everyone is around me,” Rosario Jr. said. “I’m on top of the box, and they’re all doing this funny little dance around me, and then it transitions into one of my favorite songs in the show, ‘Someone Is Waiting For Me.'”
Bonding with your teammates, friends old or new, is a key component to making productions happen. It’s something that travels from the stage to the audience, because soon enough, they begin to feel and take in the infectious laughter, smiles and joy filling the room.
“Often times people will say: the people you work with in the cast and the crew can be like a second family; I think what that means at the end of the day is that no matter what is going on in your life and how much you actually have in common with everybody else in the cast, you have to come together to make this happen,” Kane said.
The staff, cast, and crew, are excited for opening night, April 10. “I always want my audience to be entertained,” Patillo said. “That’s the whole point of what we’re doing here… It’s such a great privilege we have that people come to pay and sit in a dark room and forget about their lives for two hours, and we have that privilege to give that to them.”
Don’t miss Bobby’s birthday party, and bring a friend or family member as company. “Company” will be live at the Brookdale Performing Arts Center, parking lot 2, between April 10-12, 17-19, and 24-26. All shows start at either 2 or 7 p.m — details regarding show times on said dates are available online. Tickets are $20 (+fees) in advance, https://brookdalepac.ludus.com/index.php or at the available at the door.
