Cappies Review: New School of Northern Virginia's 'Waiting for Lefty'

• PHOTO (rom left to right): Taryn Leoncavallo, Sam Howard, Kamryn Leoncavallo, Nathan Grover; photo by John Potter
• By Gillian Wright of McLean High School

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Bluesy music first drifted across the stage. Then murmuring began among the actors, only audible enough for tantalizing snippets of conversation to entice audience members. Swaying to the music gave way to dancing, then singing began to accompany the dance, until the song ended with a mob of performers stomping their feet and threatening to strike. The New School of Northern Virginia's performance of "Waiting for Lefty" explored a time of protest long before the Black Lives Matter movement and Occupy Wall street, when taxi drivers were the people on strike, demanding higher wages.

Written in the heart of the Great Depression, Clifford Odets' "Waiting for Lefty" examines the permeating effects of economic hardship on interpersonal relationships. Odets published his play in 1935, having loosely based the story on events that occurred in New York the previous year. The play unfolds through a series of vignettes, using varied perspectives to impart on the audience a complete picture of life in the Depression. While the plotline of each scene is different, the work as a whole tells the story of a union of urban taxi drivers. Many of the cabbies are so frustrated by financial plight that they want to strike, but union leaders discourage this idea, which leads to increased tension over the course of the show.

Jean Bayer, who played Edna and Miller, was a constant presence onstage, skilfully portraying a wide range of emotions through her roles. As Edna, wife of a taxi driver, her desperation with poverty manifested first in violence then grief until she succumbed to acceptance of her family's circumstances. Next playing Miller, Bayer displayed stoic fortitude as she refused to accept higher pay for a job that violated her ethics. Alongside Kamryn Leoncavallo and Mary Beth Doebel, Bayer sang exquisitely during scene transitions, intensifying the sorrowful atmosphere.

Leoncavallo gave a compelling performance as Florrie, longtime fiancee of Sid (Seth Haskell), a cab driver. First resolute as she argued with her brother, Irv (Nathan Grover), Leoncavallo's demeanor softened when tenderly interacting with Haskell, who in turn used creative movements and sentimental expressions to show his love for his fiancee.

Lowell Weissman talentedly portrayed two characters of opposite personalities. Playing Fayette, his initial persona, Weissman was shrewd and calculating as he strove to persuade Miller (Jean Bayer) to accept a confidential position. Later as Dr. Benjamin, Weissman argued convincingly to save a charitable hospital ward.

While two-person scenes were palpable with emotion, sentimentality dispersed during ensemble pieces, allowing for humorous moments. Sam Howard, who played union member Reilly, led an especially memorable bit when he outed fraudulent union leader Clayton (Joe Neff), who continued to the comedic moment as he scurried offstage.

A minimalist scenic setting with rustic, period-appropriate furniture and props subtly enabled the stories and performances without ever being distracting. The Left Corner Band, an ensemble of student musicians with a particularly impressive violinist, played accompaniment during and between scenes to excellent effect.

Through music, motion, and moving monologues, the New School of Northern Virginia produced a powerful rendition of "Waiting for Lefty," leaving the audience to ponder a timeless question: when it comes down to business or family, which side are you on?