A&E

Review: A talented cast in poignant 'Trudy and Max in Love' at McHenry County College

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Max, played by Sean Plotts, and Trudy, played by Rhiannon Palmer, in MCC's "Trudy and Max in Love," running through March 24 at McHenry County College. (Photo provided)

By REGINA BELT

A fresh, new, contemporary play is onstage at MCC’a Black Box Theater: “Trudy and Max in Love” by screenwriter-actress Zoe Kazan (and, yes, she is related to that Kazan). Simply stated, it is the study of an adulterous relationship from innocent beginning to bittersweet end, but, truly, this production is so much more than that. Kathryn McCord, in her directorial debut, enfolds a strong wrestling match with the fairy tale of happy endings, aka hearts vs. heads.

Max (Sean Plotts) is a successful award-winning novelist who has moved from LA to Brooklyn; there are hints of a traumatic childhood (the stuff novels are made of) and a model ex-girlfriend. Trudy (Rhiannon Palmer) is an up-and-coming young adult author married to Cliff, a journalist, frequently away covering the presidential election. Max and Trudy meet in the Writing Room, a refuge/office space for writers of books and blogs, or as Max puts it “where writers scare other writers into productivity.” They banter, fall in like, then love and, of course, we all know this relationship isn’t going to end happily.

McCord’s direction ensures a fast-paced, clear picture of reality. Kazan’s play has 22 scenes; in this production, they’re cleverly transitioned by Rick Amundsen’s sharp light designs and the music of the Lullatones. The multilevel set designed by Thomas Kesling probably is one of the more functional and attractive minimalist playing spaces I’ve encountered in a long time.

Despite the youth of the talented cast of MCC students, they manage to pull off the relationship quandaries and biting humor of their older characters. Kudos to the supporting ensemble who capture our attention from the onset. Gabriel Harmon plays TV star Billy and Trudy’s therapist with enough variance to believe they are two very separate individuals. Josh Archambeau plays Jeff, the very likable, eager nerd, as well as a variety of other characters. Fallon Knaack is a delight as BFF Christine; Emily Rubinho puts a stamp on her role as Rochelle. She and Archambeau provide much of the comic relief, both in situation and line delivery.

Leads Sean Plotts (Max) and Rhiannon Palmer (Trudy) have a chemistry that engagingly projects the complication of their relationship with credibility and tension. Plotts and Palmer share vivid, often moving and engrossing scenes. Palmer is skilled at heated impulses and the agony of an impossible decision, and Plotts is a master of restless impatience and immortal wounds through focused body language and vocals. At times, both Plotts and Palmer are astonishing. “Trudy and Max in Love” was commissioned by the Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory and had its world premiere in 2014. The play has been criticized in the past for being a stylized “cable TV sitcom,” with two leading narcissistic characters. Assuredly, that is not true of the MCC production. There is adult subject matter, profanity and a very predictable ending, but, with the witty dialogue, poignancy, familiarity and cast talents, it is worth seeing at MCC’s Black Box.

• Regina Belt-Daniels is a working actress and director who began her career onstage in 1985 at the Woodstock Opera House. Formerly serving on the Raue Center for the Arts Board, she also is a lifetime member of TownSquare Players and a retired District 47 teacher.

“TRUDY AND MAX IN LOVE”

WHEN: Through March 24

WHERE: Black Box Theatre at McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14, Crystal Lake

COST & INFO: A humorous take on an unconventional romance by Zoe Kazan. Schedule: 7 p.m. March 15-17 and 22-24. A 10 a.m. March 16 student-only matinee for high school juniors and seniors is scheduled followed by a post-show discussion with the play director and actors. Tickets: $15 general public, $10 students, MCC employees, alumni, seniors and veterans. Reservations and information: Jay Geller, 815-455-8746 or jgeller@mchenry.edu. School matinee reservations: Laura Power at lpower@mchenry.edu.