REVIEW 'Baby' captivates audience's hearts

The musical plays at the New Castle Playhouse through Nov. 6.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Every once in a while, someone uncovers a diamond among the shards, a beautiful work of art that has gone unnoticed by the public, stuffed away in a drawer, waiting for the right person to bring it to light.
In 1988, Michael Cavalier had the opportunity to perform in a new musical, "Baby," with which he fell in love. The play was a relative flop on Broadway in 1984, closing after 241 performances, up against greats like "La Cage aux Folles." It was nominated for six Tony Awards, including best book (Sybille Pearson) and best original score (Shire/Maltby) in addition to best featured actor, actress, choreography and direction of a musical. Todd Graff, as Danny, won a 1984 Theatre World Award.
Cavalier, who directs the musicals at New Castle Playhouse, pushed for years to bring this play to Lawrence County, and his efforts paid off. "Baby" opened at NCP on Friday.
Tale of 3 couples
The story is about three couples -- in their 20s, 30s and 40s -- who find themselves expecting babies and the metamorphosis they experience during the nine months.
Lizzie and Danny (Lesley Gent/Tyler Brice) are in their early 20s, college students, and unmarried. Danny, a punk-rock musician, knows immediately that he wants to get married, but Lizzie doesn't want to burden him and thinks she is above conventional marriage. She thinks she can have this baby without burdening herself. She makes lists and tells herself she has it all together but finds her life moving in a different direction, out of her control.
Arlene and Alan MacNally (Becky Clarke/Robert Hazen) are in their 40s, he a college administrator and she a housewife. Their youngest of three daughters has just left for college, and Alan thinks another baby is perfect to fill their empty house. Arlene struggles, realizing that she will never have those things she has always wanted. She tells Alan that they have always been three, four, or five, never just two. The baby forces this couple to take a look at their marriage.
Pam and Nick Sakarian (Kristen Franus/Alan McCreary) are gym teachers in their 30s, ecstatically happy when they think a baby is on the way. They are fun-loving, playful, passionate and madly in love. But they find the pregnancy test was in error, and throughout the show they struggle with fertility issues that nearly destroy their marriage.
Emotional journey
The audience is swept up into the joy and sorrow these couples experience. These women take us through the gamut of emotions that pregnancy brings, from fear to bliss.
Whether you are male or female, parent or not, you will understand what it means to have a baby. This play is well-written, heartwarming, funny, touching, tearful and very real. The contemporary music is awesome, and the actors are superb. No matter where you live, this one is worth the trip to New Castle.
X"Baby" runs weekends through Nov. 6, Fridays/Saturdays 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees, 3 p.m. (724) 654-3437.