Review: ‘Which Way to the Stage’
Richard Termine/The New York Times
After weeks of hearing about the “relatable” and “niche” new play at MCC, I finally found my way to the stage (ba-dum-tiss!) for the show’s final performance. Which Way to the Stage, written by Ana Nogueira, is a theatre kid’s paradise. In fact, it’s one of the most entertaining productions I’ve seen all season.
Upon entering the Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space, the audience is greeted with a pre-show playlist blasting various Broadway hits. (My visit included Frozen’s “Let It Go,” Waitress’ “What Baking Can Do,” and The Wild Party’s “Life of the Party”.) The exterior of the Richard Rodgers Theatre has been recreated on the wide stage, credited to designer Adam Rigg. New York theatregoers instantly know where they are. With the use of wheeled-on set pieces, the play is neatly divided across three locations: the stagedoor of a Broadway theatre, the hallway outside of an audition room, and a hole-in-the-wall gay bar.
We first meet Judy and Jeff stationed outside the stagedoor for If/Then (a 2015 Broadway musical), awaiting the exit of leading lady Idina Menzel to sign their Playbills. Being the celebrity she is, Menzel did not greet fans after the performance attended by the duo. So, Jeff and Judy have committed themselves to nightly “stagedooring” in the hope of finally meeting Menzel in the flesh.
Judy (Sas Goldberg) and Jeff (Max Jenkins) are both auditioning actors. Between gigs, Jeff is a Crunch Fitness instructor who doubles as a drag queen in the evening (Barbra Streisand is his specialty) while Judy is a real estate agent from New Jersey. Their initial conversation outside the stagedoor includes typical actor vernacular: scheduled EPAs (Equity Principal Auditions), a battle over who’s the greatest Mama Rose in Gypsy, and bitter gossip about ex-boyfriends.
Richard Termine/The New York Times
Judy and Jeff’s friendship makes sense. They balance each other; one speaks with a quick enthusiasm while the other with straight-faced sarcasm. Goldberg and Jenkins deliver one-liners flawlessly, igniting the audience into a symphony of laughter, applause, and snaps. They are the type of friends who finish each other’s sentences - sometimes for the worst. The tension begins when someone drops a slur targeted at a community they are not part of. The moment is brushed off quickly, allowing the animosity to linger for the remainder of the one hour and 50 minute play. Noguiera knows how to weigh her comedy with quarrel.
Which Way to the Stage meets at the intersection of queer/gender politics and the musical theatre fandom. The play examines the policing of slang spoken by marginalized groups, the politics of drag culture, the validity of bisexuality, privilege in the workplace, and the worshipping of musical theatre divas.
Conflict worsens when Judy and Jeff both form a crush on another actor. Mark (Evan Todd) is the seemingly straight, handsome white man who, after turning down a role, says, “I’ll just book another show”. You know the guy. Todd performs the role with such accuracy that you can’t help but develop a crush on Mark yourself. Jeff and Judy both struggle decoding their relationship with Mark because he flirts with everyone. After all, he “doesn't do labels”.
Completing the four-actor ensemble is Michelle Veintimilla, the triple-threat portraying a Casting Director, Bridesmaid, and Actress (notably providing hilarious realism to the latter two). Concealed underneath her University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music sweatpants and a newly acquired Zara dress (tags still on for an easy return, of course), the Actress hides her history of sexual harassment by powerful men in the industry. To avoid rejection, the Actress commits to “playing the part” of the hungry, sexy actress who will “do whatever it takes”. By disclosing the baggage that she is forced to carry, Nogueira subverts the stereotypes associated with the wealthy, conservatory-trained, and conventionally attractive woman. Although she’s first mocked by Judy as they prepare for the same Avenue Q callback, both actresses later unite over the shared experience of being a young woman in the theatre industry.
There is undoubtedly an if you know, you know energy to Nogueira’s script, complemented by Mike Donahue’s directing. It feels like a special, exclusive experience. The insider humor is reserved only for those who’ve actually lived the lives of these characters - or who at least know them. It’s joyfully cultish.
What makes Nogueira's play so captivating is to hear arguments sway back and forth based on who has the microphone. It’s like watching a game of tennis. As the ball bounces from side to side, the power shifts. The best drama occurs when the central characters are neither right nor wrong. You root for them until they make a mistake. You blame them until you sympathize with them. Nogueria refuses to let her language, which is inherently political, get preachy. Her dialogue remains colloquial, allowing Judy and Jeff to speak from their hearts, revealing fiery passionate truths. Goldberg, especially, does so as she vigorously protects her womanhood with tears in her eyes towards the play’s end. Nogueria’s writing is so intelligent that Judy (a cisgender heterosexual woman) can critique drag culture with an absolute validity.
The conversations onstage challenge our perception of our peers, particularly those working in the theatre industry. We’re forced to reexamine the things we come to know and love. What happens if our passion comes at the expensive of someone else? How do we balance protecting our friends’ feelings with providing constructive, possibly painful feedback? Although it may seclude those without a BFA or a reservation at Glass House Tavern, Which Way to the Stage deserves a life beyond its short run at MCC.