Straight White Men

Straight White Men is playing at the Helen Hayes Theatre located at 240 West 44th Street. The play runs one hour thirty five minutes with no intermission. It closes on September 9, 2018.

The play was originally produced Off Broadway at The Public Theatre in 2014.

Young Jean Lee is the playwright. She is the first Asian American women to have a show done on Broadway.

Ana D. Shapiro is the director. She won a Tony Award in 2008 for August: Osage County.

Todd Rosenthal is the scenic designer. He won a Tony Award in 2008 and a Laurence Olivier Award in 2009 for August: Osage County.

Josh Charles is known for his role as Will Gardner in the television series The Good Wife. Josh was nominated for a Prime Time Emmy for this role in 2012, and 2014.

The play takes place in a family room in the Midwest, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas. Before the stage curtain looks like tinsel that’s put on a Christmas tree. There is rock music blasting.

Ty Defoe who plays Person in Charge 2, asks audience members if they would like ear plugs.

When the play begins Person in Charge 1 (Kate Ornstein) and Person in Charge 2 (Ty Defoe) address the audience that they are transgender but the people in the play are straight. At the end of their dialogue they tell you if you liked the blasting music you will definitely love the show.

Jake (Josh Charles) is playing a video game. Drew (Armie Hammer) is doing everything to distract him. We are under the impression they are friends. When Matt (Paul Schneider) and Ed (Stephen Payne) comes in they bring in a fake Christmas tree with only half lights up. We find out this is Ed’s house and that the three men are his sons. Their mother is dead.

As the night and days progress we learn a little about each character. Jake is divorced and has two children. He has a good job. Drew is single and was seeing someone to deal with issues he had. Ed has a merger job despite the fact he graduated from Yale. He is in debt because of college tuition he owes. Ed doesn’t want a career. He is satisfied with his merger job and living at home taking care of his dad.

His brothers feel otherwise about his decision. They voice their opinions on it.

Jake, Drew and Ed act frivolous at times.

At the end it leaves you wondering what Ed’s going to do.

Person in Charge 1 &2 come on the stage while the crew comes on to take or put props on stage for the next act. They do frivolous things.

Person in Charge 1 &2 were funny in the beginning but add nothing to the play.

There is no substance to the characters even though we learn more about them. Who cares?

The acting and set were outstanding.

I was disappointed with the play.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview the cast, scroll down to the left for photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.