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Playhouse delivers with ‘Terms of Endearment’
By Eric McCrea
Adapting classic movies for the stage is a trend that has seen some mixed results, but Dan Gordon’s treatment of “Terms of Endearment” is an example of why it works.
The Youngstown Playhouse packed the Griffith-Adler space Friday night as it opened the third production of this play since it premiered in 2007, and it became the first community theater to perform it.
Aurora Greenway, played by Laura J. Phillips, has a close and unfiltered relationship with her daughter Emma (Rachel Lee Katz). Shortly after getting married, Emma and her husband relocate to Iowa for a job, but that doesn’t stop Aurora from calling nearly every day.
Years pass as they depend on each other to handle the challenges of parenthood, finances and relationships, culminating in a terrible diagnosis. As they face an uncertain future, they become closer than ever.
Although “Terms of Endearment” is known as one of the biggest tear-jerkers of all time, Phillips excelled at the comedy. As always, she was flawless in the heights of critical emotional scenes. Her take on Aurora was opinionated without being domineering, and her frantic changes in subtext were skillfully exemplified with changes in facial expression.
John Cox appeared as Aurora’s neighbor and romantic interest Garrett Breedlove, and his natural charm and swagger found the audience defenseless. His stage presence is impossible to ignore, and scenes picked up energy when he was involved. He’s not an easy sell as a cad, but he got close enough to the target.
The plot spans a decade, and the lapse in time was most noticeable in Katz’s performance. As the story moves along, her portrayal of Emma matured. Her starting point was a bit over-regressed, but this was quickly amended.
Katz was robbed of Debra Winger’s memorable sob-inducing scene, which is all but left out of the stage adaptation. However, she triumphed with a performance that will be remembered.
Brian Suchora played Emma’s husband, Flip, who serves as a source of conflict and, eventually, a symbol of forgiveness. Suchora deftly straddles the line between gallant and slimy. He was a huge part of making the climactic scene utterly heartbreaking.
Lindie Schwarten was featured as Emma’s friend and confidant Patsy Clark. She acts as a sounding post for Emma’s flawed side, countering the pedestaled status that comes later. Schwarten was also a great fit to parallel Emma’s life progression.
Director Christopher Fidram was easily the best choice for “Terms,” given his past success with powerfully emotional drama. The humor and sadness are in the details, and Fidram pays ample attention.
The use of a minimal set made for quick scene changes and kept the show from dragging. Creative lighting design by James Reed gave the show a photographic feel at times and punctuated inter-scene moments, but timing wasn’t perfect on opening night.
“Terms of Endearment” will be performed Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. until Nov. 19. For tickets, call 330-788-8739 or go to theyoungstownplayhouse.com.