Few composers have achieved the same household recognition as the late Stephen Sondheim. Even the most Broadway-averse know the lyrics to “I Feel Pretty” or “America.” But his 1990 musical, “Assassins,” which chronicles the stories of nine people who attempted to kill the president of the United States, is not as widely known.
And for good reason. Though Sondheim’s witty lyricism and dexterous composition is always a joy, the script, written by John Weidman, leaves much to be desired. During spoken scenes, I found myself waiting for the next song.
The show is a thesis of sorts, examining the psychological and societal factors that lead one to assassinate a president (or at least try to). Sondheim emphasizes the inherent theatricality of this crime and uses John Wilkes Booth (played by Neala Barron), actor and assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, as a modern origin point. The opening number, “Everybody’s Got the Right,” presents assassination as a way for desperate individuals to redeem their otherwise unremarkable lives.
While compelling, this framework is not always a perfect fit. How are the psyches of President William McKinley’s assassin Leon Czolgosz, a working class political anarchist, and President James Garfield’s assassin, Charles Guiteau, who targeted the president because his application to be ambassador to France was denied, comparable?
Still, director Daryl D. Brooks’ production of the show at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, which premiered Oct. 27, feels more relevant than ever. The show’s framing of the assassins as demoralized social outcasts parallels present-day conceptions of mass shooters.
The cast made the most of Weidman’s lackluster script and brought an energetic fervor to Sondheim’s music. Mack Spotts’ and Nick Arceo’s performances were especially remarkable. Spotts portrayed Leon Czolgosz with gentle humility, easily prompting sympathy for the character’s struggles. Arceo, who played Charles Guiteau, often sparked uproarious laughter from the crowd with his tongue-in-cheek comedic style.
As always at Theo, tables on the sides of the stage made up a small portion of the audience seating, allowing for interactions with the actors during the show. Bek Lambrecht’s set design was minimalistic but by no means barren. Five versions of the American flag hung on a wooden fence. Red and white stripes covered the stage floor, with a star-studded circular wooden platform at the center. The assassins often stepped up to the platform at the moments of their killing or their own death — a wonderful utilization of the set’s centerpiece.
Though “Assassins” is not Sondheim’s best, its themes are still relevant thirty years after its Off-Broadway premiere. Even so, it’s not a musical I would recommend unless you have a love for the idiosyncrasies of American history.
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Twitter: @jahariia
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