All is Calm - Playhouse on Park

Theater in December is chock-full of holiday offerings.  A welcome addition is the engaging, rewarding All is Calm, playing at Playhouse on Park through December 21.  This short – 75 minutes, no intermission – production relates the true story of the Truce of 1914, where German and English troops, enmeshed in the trench warfare of WWI, paused hostilities on Christmas Day.  Over 100,000 men laid down their arms to fraternize, trade souvenirs, and even play soccer.  The show is  performed, mostly, via snippets of songs – war tunes and holiday melodies – by the first-rate, twelve-member cast.  The musical selections are at times rousing, comical, impassioned, and somber.  The singing is impressive throughout the show.  The vocal arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach are striking.

Book writer Peter Rothstein has effectively structured the show into five “Acts,” which take the audience from the beginning of the conflict, through the truce, and, finally, the sad reoccurrence of fighting.  In just a short time, he has been able to dramatically highlight such topics as the futility of war and the sacrifices made by the younger generation.  He has interspersed dialog between the musical numbers - cast members recite fragments of letters or journal entries from soldiers in the conflict - which provide context to what’s happening and the temperament of the soldiers. 

Director Sasha Bratt has skillfully taken all the elements of the production and crafted an inspiring, moving production that shifts seamlessly from scene-to-scene, from song-to-song. Besides the large cast, they include Doaa Ouf’s beautifully scripted projections; Johann Fitzpatrick’s somber lighting scheme and simple, yet effective set design; and Micah Ohno’s accurate period costume design.

All the actors were superb - Bruce Barger, NicDaniel Charles, Charles Eaton, Kenneth Galm, Spencer Hamlin, Alex Hunt, Jeremy Luis Lopez, Ryan Phelps, Omar Sandakly, Luke Scott, Niko Touros, and Jermaine Woodard Jr.  Galm, Phelps, and Touros were notable in their portrayals of multiple characters.  Spencer, a trained opera singer, was brought down the house with his solos.

All is Calm, a show not to be missed.  Playing at Playhouse on Park through December 21.  The production is sold out, except, at this writing for the concluding performance.  Click here to see if tickets become available through cancellations.