I miss this show. It was a highlight of my trip to New York earlier this summer and I still find myself thinking about the story, its characters, and the magnificent production. Some of my takeaways:
First, I think the story resonated with me more in 2022 than it did in 2003. I loved the play back then, but the story of an out and proud gay sports star felt fantastical at the time. It was a magnificent peek into what could/should be, but nothing that resembled my reality nor that of the people in my orbit. On the other hand, it felt natural in 2022. The story felt possible, about people I might actually know, and the complications real.
Second, I thought the cast was universally impressive, and I can't imagine choosing one over the other for acting awards. No disrespect to JTF who I enjoyed immensely, but I think this is one case where the ensemble should be recognized as a unit; to single out one performance is a disservice to everyone else on the stage.
Finally, and I know this will be controversial, I was confused by one choice the playwright made in an otherwise perfect narrative. He chose to deviate from the classic convention that if a play begins with a narrator telling the story, the place should end with that same narrator's wrapup. Take Me Out begins with the character Kippy Sunderstrom telling the story of Darren Lemming and Shane Nungitt but ends with the character Mason Marzac summarizing his personal arc. These two characters have fascinating stories to tell, but each is independent and overlaps only by virtue of events perpetuated by others. That just felt off to me, especially since it was so easy to resolve; i.e., a short wrap up by Kippy would have been the proper bookend to the powerful story.
Thoughts?
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