As the Christmas season runs rampant, many, many weeks before it’s really even Christmas season, a particular song from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas comes to mind. And yes, while White Christmas is no doubt on a theatre somewhere this early November weekend, it’s not at The Salem Players, and I promise, I’m making a point. It’s a ditty that the soldiers sing, “…we’ll follow the old man wherever he wants to go…” and it swells the heart a little because it showcases the loyalty (albeit humorously at first) of men in service to their leader. And that same touching sentiment is palpable and readily available in the show that The Salem Players is producing— Mister Roberts. Written by Thomas Heggen & Joshua Logan, and Directed by Tim Van Sant, this warhorse (pun intended) of a theatrical classic, corny and dusty though it may be, is a rare gem that finds itself vivaciously alive in the hands of Van Sant and The Salem Players this November season and in true honor and tribute to those who have served, those serving, and those who will serve, the show’s opening night was Veteran’s Day— November 11, 2022.
Plays make personal connections with different members of the audience (heck, even with different members of the production crew and cast) for all sorts of reasons and Mister Roberts is a play that has many points of personal connection. Maybe you have a loved one who served— several of the cast members have family members who did serve in WWII (and there are a few Easter eggs in the set— actual pieces of real WWII from those cast members’ families— flag down a cast member or Director Tim Van Sant before/after the production for a detailed account!)— or are in service yourself, maybe you grew up in the war time (not just WWII because although that’s the setting for this one, it rings true with strong messages even in today’s modern world), or maybe you have a loyal connection to your country and the people that defend it. This play is both humorous and full of heart and Director Tim Van Sant does a superb job of finding and maintaining the balance between the comedy and the severity of the show.
Supported by Set Designer Matt Medicus and Properties Master/Set Dresser Sara Toscano, Director Tim Van Sant really gets the feel of a World War II U.S. Navy cargo ship stationed in the South Pacific. The stage has been outwardly extended on the left and the right to create the illusion of a below-decks bunk room and the captain’s office. The railing that runs along the back of the stage gives the feel of being on a ship’s deck (complimented by Van Sant’s sound design, which seems to feature the perfectly satisfying splash effect when certain things get purposefully chucked overboard) and even the porthole— a round, gold-painted ring mounted on a mic-stand— is a clever nod to helping the audience suspend their disbelief when it comes to traveling on this oceanic voyage with the navy boys aboard the ship. Toscano and Van Sant are the ones likely responsible for the authentic World War II props that get scattered about the set as well; it’s a touching and honorable tribute to those who have served and to those for whom this play was written.
Costumes come to the stage by way of three-person team effort. Lisa Yerkey, Janet Van Sant, and Fran Huber, brush up those navy boys into proper shades of navy and sea water, complete with their white sailor-caps. You get the proper military tan-beige for officers and captains, and even some solid white seafaring uniforms for the Shore Patrol units once Ak 601 finally makes port in Elysium. The uniforms are crisp, really carry the aesthetic of war time, and help to fully situate the production in that time frame of ‘a few weeks before V-E Day until a few weeks before V-J Day.’
The show itself is surprisingly heartwarming. Personally, I was having flashbacks to M*A*S*H, which although comes much later in the US-chronology of war time, had some of the similar humors that Mister Roberts is in possession of. You find yourself readily lost in the reality and narrative of the show— so much so that you don’t even notice two and a half hours (including the intermission) has passed by the time the show concludes. Van Sant does a fine job of keeping up the show’s pacing, developing those interpersonal relationships between characters, and really finessing that fine, fine line between what is meant to be hilarious and heightened humor and what is meant to be serious and deeply moving. It’s a perfect blend, with a very talented cast, and a really moving story that will bring some slightly joyous tears to your eyes while tickling your funny bone and really giving you a deep reverence for those in service during those uncertain times.
From the talented voiceovers (Tom Dewberry and Chris Newman, reading ship announcements and BBC Radio broadcasts) to the Shore Patrolmen (at this performance Katie Sheldon, Dave Asendorf and Carolyn Lawrence) Tim Van Sant has packed the cast with some extraordinarily talented people. Katie Sheldon, who doubles up at this performance as the comically, well-timed Shore Patrolman, is the only female character in the script. Lt. Ann Girard, who is working at the hospital on a neighboring island, is filled out wonderfully by Sheldon, who gives the character just a bit of cheek, helping her character earn that ‘Red Label’ nickname.
You get a whole mess of crewman— Gerhart, Wiley, Stefanowski, Lindstrom, Mannion, Insignia, and Chief Johnson (played by Robert E. Dunham IV, Stuart Deininger, Dave Hill, Nick Mason, Jack Nelson, Eric Boelsche, and Orbie Shively respectively)— that fabricate the camaraderie of the on-ship atmosphere as well as create some of the tension. Keep eyeballs out for Dave Hill as Stefanowski during the “battle call to stations”, his antics of flying back and forth on the stage, running in a manic panic to try and figure out where his battle station actually is, is really hilarious. (This is a comic moment in the show; they aren’t under siege or attack, and Hill’s antics in this moment augment that tenfold.)
Throw Tim Toscano, as Dowdy, and Jen Sizer, as Dolan, into the mix of men, and you’ve got a great bunch. Toscano blends with the best of them but when the boys are finally setting sail for Elysium, you get that delightful moment of him just relaxing in the below-deck area, watching as the rest of the crewmen go wild trying to steal looks through that (portable) porthole at what delights and treasures await them on liberty (shore-leave for those not in the know.) Jen Sizer, playing Dolan— who is the the messenger to the Captain and to Mister Roberts— has so much energy you can’t help but think that maybe her character is secretly in charge of coffee rations. Sizer has the most expressive facial features and wild eyes and delivers a whole bunch of gumption whenever she’s on stage. Keep an eye out for that delightful scene with Sizer and the purloined goat. It’s a hoot! All together this fine band of performers really gives you that “together as a crew” notion that just makes your heart sing while you watch them in action, whether it’s a serious moment or a hilarious one.
The Captain (Toby Hessenauer) in this production may give you callbacks to that rogue, militant and completely ‘bound-to-his-duty’ character from Mutiny on the Bounty. In fact, Hessenauer does such a fine job of bringing this villainous character to life that you can’t help but hope the men seize him and heft him over the starboard railing! There’s an unctuous villainy that courses through The Captain character and you really see it in full swing during the face-off between Hessenauer’s character and the Mister Roberts character at the end of the first act. But not without his comic charms, Hessenauer explodes with virulent bombast, which reads as hysterical to the audience, when screaming the boat down about his precious palm tree. Hessenauer delivers the character in a way that has the audience absolutely despising him by the show’s conclusion, meaning he’s done his job well as the antagonistic, ruthless character of The Captain is likely not meant to be liked.
You have the three amigos— The Three Officers— who share a bunkroom (we won’t question the fact that Doc probably has to sleep in the footlocker as there are only two bunks on the stage and Pulver has clearly claimed the top bunk!) Pulver, Doc, and Roberts, (Connor Hurley, John Dignam, and Stephen Deininger) are the points around which this play revolves. It may be called Mister Roberts, and while there is no question that Deininger’s character is the leading protagonist and is well-deserving of final bow, the relationships between these three characters are what cements the story in place. The sheer antics and hilarity that ensues once Hurley’s Pulver puts his little firecracker in motion is uproarious and outrageous. You get to see these three fine fellows really having a joyous moment together in the bunk room; it’s pure glee that radiates in waves out to the audience.
Hurley, as the quirky oddball Pulver, really at first feels like a comic-throwaway. You get this lazy kid who spends 14 hours a day in bed, has never once been down to the laundry room despite being chief of laundry, and who has been on the ship for over 14 months and yet the captain has never seen him. Hurley delivers the dueling nature of Pulver with brilliance. He talks a big talk but cowers under the deck when it comes to walking the walk. Mouthy, with a seasoned tongue for the way navy officers seemed to deliver their text, Hurley is perhaps one of the most fascinating to watch because his character completes the arch of growth. Watching Hurley evolve the character from comic-write-off to real-time player is impressive. And when he barnstorms the Captain’s office in that final scene, you get flooded with hope, happiness, and a healthy dose of humor.
What can I say about John Dignam as Doc? They couldn’t have picked a finer seasoned veteran of the stage for the role. You look at Dignam in the role and you just sort of think, “of course it had to be him” because he wears the role so well. Tempered, balanced, and equal parts humor and humble, Dignam is bringing a bunch of layers— bananas, parfaits, onions, take you pick— to the character. He gets as many surefire moments in silence, simply just being in the room (whether it’s humor or not) as he does when he’s delivering lines. Pulver starts gassing on about getting Doc a woman? Dignam serves up some face and just points to his wedding ring. When the battle-cry to stations scene is executed, and Dignam’s character finally gets called to action— to deal with the Captain— he strolls through the chaos, lit cigarette in mouth liking like a fantastical hybrid between Alan Alda in the M*A*S*H days and Groucho Marx. But don’t be fooled by his phenomenal comic powers; Dignam does serious too. There are moments— talking with Roberts, reading through the letters at the end with Pulver— were you get this beautiful, weighted emotion that speaks volumes about Dignam’s capability to be versatile on stage.
Wearing the titular role like a naval badge of honor and pride, Stephen Deininger delivers a wildly human and deeply engaging performance as Lt. J. G. Doug Roberts. You get a full-on, knock-down, drag-out battle of the spirited wills between Deininger’s Roberts and Hessenauer’s Captain at the very end of Act I and Deininger delivers hard, hot intensity that just punches for miles. There’s a cheeky but reverent side to Deininger’s Roberts— you get the distinct impression that while he’s a man of fair justice, trying to run a tight ship, he also truly has the men’s best interests at heart. Articulate, pristinely well-spoke, and filling out the role with his own years of seasoned stage practice, Deininger becomes a leader— to the men, to the scene work, to the craft itself— and creates a human being that you’re cheering for, that you’re empathizing with, that you’re praying for all throughout the performance. So thoroughly does he develop this character that when his letter is read aloud in the final scenes, even though it’s read by Pulver, you can hear Deininger speaking the words. Filled with passion, compassion, and a fiery sense of how to really get the most out of the character, Deininger does not disappoint in this truly heartfelt performance.
It’s the finest thing to grace the stage of The Salem Players in quite some time, and certainly since returning to operations post-pandemic. The effort of the company— cast and crew alike— is remarkable, the play itself successfully soars into the hearts of the audience while also providing some well-deserved humors and could not be appearing live at a more appropriate time. Do not miss your chance to see this exceptionally well executed production of Mister Roberts at The Salem Players this November.
Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission
Mister Roberts plays through November 20, 2022 with The Salem Players— Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church at 905 Frederick Road in Catonsville, MD. For tickets call (410) 747-0720 or purchase them online.
