COMPANY • Insight Theatre Company

When Company opened in 1970, it was considered a “concept musical.” Abandoning a linear narrative, its vignettes center around a milestone birthday for Robert, a single guy living in New York city. Bobby, as his friends call him, is the favorite third wheel among his "good and crazy" married friends, and though he extols the virtues of the single life (much to the envy of his male buddies), the attempts to set him up with a nice girl to settle down with, the frustrations of the women he's dating, and the reflections that always come with turning a year older, shake the comfort of his bachelor status.

Full disclosure -- I think Stephen Sondheim is a genius. His sharp lyrics, counterpoint melodies and tight harmonies are no joke, and tricky to pull off. Under Doug Finlayson’s direction, Insight Theatre Company’s production has some blemishes, but comes close to hitting this one out of the park.

Martin Fox and the cast of Insight Theatre Company’s Company

Photo credit: John Lamb

Playing out on Peter and Margery Spack’s slick set, Bobby is about to turn 35 and his married friends are throwing him a surprise party. Martin Fox is solid as the amiable bachelor, and does a wonderful job with "Someone Is Waiting.” The passively-aggressive couple Sarah (Meghan Baker) and Harry (Phil Leveling) are the first of his married friends we meet, with one trying not to consume carbs and the other trying not to drink. Jonathan Hey and Cherlynn Alvarez are convincing as David and his “square” wife Jenny, inviting Bobby over for a little stoner action, and Cole Gutman and Taylor Pietz are the oddly matched Peter, metropolitan and curious, and Southern charmer, Susan. Matt Pentecost is loving and attentive as Paul, and Stephanie Long is quite funny as his reluctant bride-to-be, Amy, and she nails Sondheim’s clever patter song "Getting Married Today,” though some of the lines in the higher register during the number are difficult to understand. This audio problem also plagued the trio of Bobby’s girlfriends, Bailey Reeves as the simple-minded stewardess April, Melissa Gerth as Kathy, the one who got away, and Samantha Irene as the free-spirited Marta in their number, "You Could Drive a Person Crazy." Laurie McConnell and Michael Brightman are jaded couple Joanne and Larry, and McConnell’s performance is a standout, particularly her rendition of one of the most recognizable songs in the score, "The Ladies Who Lunch.”

Martin Fox and the cast of Insight Theatre Company’s Company

Photo credit: John Lamb

Seeing Bobby come face-to-face with an existential crisis of sorts, weighing the pros and cons of married life through his friends, is warmly gratifying, and originally mounted during a time when such things weren’t really examined in musicals of the day. The play is firmly set in the 70’s but the opening number has Bobby checking his messages on a cell phone. A small quibble, but it threw me a little. Still, it’s well worth checking out this Sondheim classic -- you’ve got one more chance!

COMPANY

Book by George Furth

Music/Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim 

Directed by Doug Finlayson

Heagney Theatre at Nerinx Hall, 530 East Lockwood Ave.

through July 3 | tickets: $10 - $35

Performances Sunday at 2pm

Cast

Robert: Martin Fox

Harry: Phil Leveling

Sarah: Meghan Baker

David: Jonathan Hey

Jenny: Cherlynn Alvarez

Peter: Cole Gutman

Susan: Taylor Pietz

Paul: Matt Pentecost

Amy: Stephanie Long*

Larry: Michael Brightman

Joanne: Laurie McConnell*

April: Bailey Reeves

Kathy: Melissa Gerth*

Marta: Samantha Irene

Creative

Stage Manager: Savannah Throop

Technical Direction: Joshua Noll

Musical Direction: Catherine Edwards Kopff

Scenic Designer and Scenic Painter: Peter Spack

Lighting Design: David Blake

Scenic Designer and Props Master: Margery Spack

Costume Design: Laura Hanson

Sound Design: Brett Harness

Choreography: Melissa Gerth

Orchestra

Piano/Conductor: Catherine Edwards Kopff*

Trumpet: Dan Smith

Reeds: Rebecca Parisi

Bass: Guy Cantonwine

Percussion: Adam Kopff*

* Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of

Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States and American Federation of Musicians Local 2-197