Review: Blue Before Morning

October 21, 2008 by Dennis Baker 

(This review was originally published on Blogcritics.)

The blue of the morning just before the sun breaks the horizon can be a quiet, peaceful time, a time of peace that can be hard to find in the other hours of the day.

Blue Before Morning by Kate McGovern centers on the journey of three characters who are escaping from their pasts. As the story unfolds the characters find themselves on an unexpected trip from New York to South Carolina. During the road trip their pasts come to the surface and propel each into an unlikely future.

Ava hails a cab as she is running late to catch a bus to South Carolina. When she misses the bus she convinces the cab driver, Jerry, to drive her south. They soon meet Ella, a pregnant woman who has decided to leave her boyfriend. The three travelers begin to share stories, and questions begin to rise about each person’s life. The connections each character has to the destination are revealed through flashbacks: Ava is an NYU student who is coming home to deal with family issues; Ella is escaping from a boyfriend, Steve, who is willing to change his life to raise a family; Jerry’s wife Rita and family live in South Carolina. In their twelve hour journey there are twists and turns that pull the characters apart and bring them closer together in hopes of second chances and missed opportunities.

This new work went through a four-year workshop process through terraNOVA Collective’s Groundbreakers Writer’s Workshop. All that hard work is most evident in the first two-thirds of the play. The dialogue is sharp between the three main characters as they move from being strangers towards their destined connections. But McGovern rushes the last few scenes as she tries to tie up the three plot lines, leaving the audience with some confused moments.

Veteran cast member Chris McKinney carries the show as the cab driver Jerry. Kether Donohue as Juno-esque Ava and Jenny Maguire as Ella complete the traveling trio with compelling richness. Phyllis Johnson brings class to the role of Rita, Jerry’s wife. Jennifer Dorr White is strong as Eileen, Ava’s mother, in what seems to be a one-note role. Flaco Navaja brings freshness to the role of Steve, Eileen’s boyfriend, who desires to create a better life for his new family.

Director Gia Forakis has assembled a strong ensemble, and orchestrates solid transitions between past and present to create memorable moments that highlight the script’s strong points. The production is well supported by a creative set by Derek McLane and video design by S. Katy Tucker.

Blue Before Morning by Kate McGovern; with Kether Donohue (Ava), Phyllis Johnson (Rita), Jenny Maguire (Ella), Chris McKinney (Jerry), Flaco Navaja (Steve) and Jennifer Dorr White (Eileen); Directed by Gia Forakis; sets by Derek McLane; costumes by Suzanne Chesney; lighting by Bruce Steinberg; original music and sound by Katie Down; production stage manager, Kathleen E.G. Munroe. Presented by terraNOVA Collective, at DR2 Theatre, 103 East 15th Street, Union Square; (212) 239-6200. Through November 8. Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes

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