An innovative and provocative production of “Everybody” by Muhlenberg College Theatre and Dance looks at mortality with cheeky humor and asks the audience to reflect on their lives as well.
Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ contemporary reimagining of the 15th-century morality play “Everyman,” is at Muhlenberg’s Studio Theatre, Trexler Pavilion for Theatre and Dance, 2400 Chew St., Allentown through March 1.
A hallmark of the production is a a lottery system that randomly assigns five of the actors their roles at the start of each performance, emphasizing the unpredictability of life. With 120 possible combinations, no two performances of “Everybody” will be the same.
Dominick Borges as an usher gives the curtain notes as the play begins, but it soon becomes apparent his role is much larger. Borgas is deceptively chirpy and jovial as the friendly usher chit-chatting with the audience before it is revealed he is God, and he is not happy with the way people have been messing up the world.
God summons Death, a wonderfully sassy and imperious Reece Holden, who plucks seemingly random people out of the audience to make a presentation about their lives to God. At this point, the five people, first annoyed and unbelieving and then scared and desperate, pick their roles out of a hat.
At my performance, Tyler Motlasz portrayed Everbody, the central character who is frantically trying to find someone to accompany him on his journey with Death. Motlasz is appealing and recognizable as the “everyman” who is trying to figure out if he lived a good life and what it all means.
Hana Scarlatoiu exudes energy as the eager-to-please Friendship whose insistence she will do anything for Everybody has limits.
Mae Anglim as Cousin and Chukwuemeka Mbulu as Kinship are equally effusive as well at first but back off.
Leighann Koppenhofer is particularly funny and on the mark as Stuff, all the ultimately meaningless possession to which we attach ourselves.
When it seems all is lost, Love played with gentle wisdom by Justin Medina, appears forcing Everybody to humiliate himself for love in one of the funniest scenes of the play in which Everybody runs out of the theater in his underclothes yelling.
Borges returns, now as Understanding, accompanied by Strength, Senses, Beauty and Mind, all of whom fail in the end.
Wilder Dean, a local sixth grader, is poignant as Time who watches the stars with Death.
A Danse Macabre featuring Alysa Sipman, Sophie Bustos, Hanajah White-Wise, Amelia Zanine and Mae Anglim; and choreographed by Heidi Cruz-Austin, is energetic, well done and creepily lit.
Director Leslie Hill effectively makes full use of the space in the Studio Theatre, and keeps the pace brisk, so the 90-minute play with no intermission whisks by.
Tickets are $18 for adults and $8 for students.
Performances are 8 p.m. Feb. 27; 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Feb. 29; and 2 p.m. March 1.
For information, call 484-664-3333 or go to muhlenberg.edu/seeashow.