Cappie review of “Awake and Sing!” by Christina Manzo, Edison High School, Alexandria, VA

Act 1, Scene 1: The lights come up to reveal a quite normal looking family enjoying their evening meal when all of a sudden all hell breaks loose. The young, unmarried Hennie is pregnant, Grandpa Jacob is a Marxist, Ralph is trying to start a revolution and Bessie, the family matriarch, is struggling to hold the family together. So begins Arena Stage’s production of Awake and Sing!, the story of a lower middle class Jewish family living in the Bronx during the depression.

The play, written by Clifford Odets, originally made its debut on Broadway in 1935, and it has been revived many times. Arena Stage’s revival featured hypnotizing performances from Adam Green (Ralph), Miriam Silverman (Hennie), and the wonderful Robert Prosky (Jacob). Though the play had its comic moments, this show preached a powerful truth; maybe Clifford Odets said it best when he wrote “Life shouldn't be printed on dollar bills.” This play is about finding your voice and trying to make the world a better place instead of chasing the mighty dollar. This show deals with social issues such as pregnancy and inter-faith relationships in a time when adoption and abortion were not considered options and Jews only dated other Jews.

It was a delight to watch as the characters in the show grow and find their inner voices. Miriam Silverman gave a very convincing performance as Hennie, a daughter forced to marry someone she doesn’t love because of her pregnancy out of wedlock. Her body language defined her character and made her look older and more tired after her baby is born. When Hennie discovers true passion, you could see a spark, a new glow in her eyes that made her look ten years younger. Other noteworthy performances included Adam Green’s portrayal of Ralph, a passionate young man eager to change the world who ends up following in his grandfather’s footsteps literally and figuratively, and Robert Prosky’s portrayal of Jacob, the wise old traditional immigrant who encourages Ralph and Hennie to discover better lives for themselves. The accents were consistent and flawless, adding depth and believability to the characters.

While the actors kept busy onstage, Arena Stage’s technical crew never missed a beat as they cued music and sound effects that fit like a puzzle piece into the show. The sound effects never overpowered the actors, and they provided just enough ambiance to make each scene work. The sound cues were so accurate it made audience members wonder if the old vintage style 1930s radio on the stage was actually working. The set, designed by Andromache Chalfant, was truly a work of art. Her split stage approach to the set allowed you to distinguish separate rooms and drew focus from one to the other with ease. The set design was not limited just to the stage. Above the set, audiences were able to see the brick framework of the building defining an apartment building. Below the set, random pieces of furniture were scattered in disarray. This was quite a common sight during the Depression when many families were being thrown out of their homes and forced to live on the streets. This production was truly a well-rounded show with a brilliant technical crew to match the brilliant actors.

Arena Stage deserves a standing ovation for their production of Awake and Sing! that not only preached valuable life lessons, but gave audiences a few laughs along the way.